13 Shades of Grey
by ArcadaAvaLon
Summary: [AU, OC, OOC] “That’s right. I, Shahero, am your leader, and I demand that you obey my every command.” She grinned toothily. “Is one of them kissing Hitoshi? Because I’m sure he’d love to help you on that.” Arista jibed.
1. Prologue: At the Beginning

13 Shades of Grey

Prologue: At the Beginning

Disclaimer: Beyblade, all related indicia, and original cast members belong to Takao Aomi. I do own Arista Belyaev. The following characters are in the order for their creators: Amber/Gems, Miyami/Tari, Aspin/Animerle, Sonia/Sae, and Shahero/Coors.

RAN: So. I'm reposting this because it got removed. That brings my total count of removed fictions off this site to five. Yes, that's right. Five. So, if wants to keep deleting my fics then they have to try harder because I'll just keep reposting. Take that, ha! So anywho, R&R please.

"I am the bestest Hockey player in this school." Amber said grinning.

Arista grinned back at her. "Not likely, I'm much better."

"Says who?" She shot back smugly.

"I do." The silver haired seventeen-years-old replied arrogantly.

"Actually, You would both be mistaken. I am the best Hockey Player in this pathetic excuse for a school."

Amber and Arista both turned around, and rolled their eyes. Who else would it be, but Brooklyn?

The cocky pompous ginger-haired, moss green eyed prick. He stared at them, smirking.

"Would you like to prove that?"

"Any day, Belyaev."

"You're on. Today, right now, right here. I bet that you can't beat me at one-on-one Hockey match."

Brooklyn nodded to assure her that he'd accepted.

"But, the loser has to be the winners slave for... thirteen days."

Arista's mouth opened and closed like a fish. That meant that she had to everything he told her to do, for thirteen days?

'If I lose, I'm making a bet that's worse than going to hell and back. But if I don't accept, then his already over-sized head will get even bigger.'

"So what's it going to be?"

"I accept."

"Okay then. But we have to have it later, when there are witnesses."

"Why? You wanna lose around people? I thought you'd rather when no one was around so that you wouldn't get embarrassed."

"That's what you think. I want witnesses around so that when you lose, then everyone will know it."

"Not gunna happen, Mr. I-think-I'm-the-best-but-really-am-not!"

This time Brooklyn rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just be there at seven."

And with that he turned around and walked away.

"'Ris, you know that if you lose, he's going to boss you around for almost two weeks?" Amber spoke slowly.

"I thought you were my friend. Be a little more supportive, why don't you?"

"Yeah. But still, he_ is _a good player. Even if he's a total ass-head."

"I'm not going to lose... Anyways, I'm hungry. Let's go to the caf already. We're missing lunch."

'At least, I hope I won't lose...'

* * *

"He shoots-" Brooklyn waited for the puck to go into the net "-and he scores!"

Time stood still for Arista as she watched the puck glide on the smooth ice, and into the net.

First she was shocked, then as she slowly processed the fact that he had won; she gave out a cry of frustration.

"Cheater, I demand a re-match!"

"Okay. But just to make it fair, let's raise the stakes a little... The winner, which is obviously going to be me again, will get to boss the loser, which is going to be you again, around for thirteen days, and-" Brooklyn paused here to think about what he could possibly add to make her life more of a living hell, "-the loser will also have to quit the team for two months."

"WHAT?"

The large crowd that had gathered 'oohed' and 'awed' at his bold statement.

They now looked over to Arista, watching her reaction interestingly.

"WHAT?" She repeated again. "What do you mean quit the team for two months?"

"I meant what I said. When you lose, you'll have to quit the team for two months." He said slowly, as if talking to an eight-years-old.

"Unless you're afraid you'll _lose_..."

She glared as he taunted her, leaning on his black hockey stick.

"In your dreams. You just watch, I'm not going to lose. First one to score five goals wins."

She gritted her teeth and skated over to the centre. Brooklyn skated over as well. Amber was already there, waiting for them. She blew a whistle, and dropped the puck, but purposely dropped it closer to her Russian friend.

The black circular disc fell onto the ice with a dull thud. Arista, being the quicker of the two, already had the puck and was skating towards the left end of the icy field.

Brooklyn wasted no time in going after her. Just as she was about to shoot, he snatched at the puck with his stick, and glided around at the back of the net.

"You want it?" He waited for her reaction. She glared at him challengingly. "Then come and get it."

She charged around the right side of the net, but he had skated out from the left. She mentally slapped herself.

He looked behind him and saw her angry expression.

Smirking he slowed down as he neared the net, and shot the puck slowly as if just proving to her that he was the better of the two.

He knew how to get her riled up. This was too easy.

* * *

"Nooooo!" Arista screamed as Brooklyn scored his fifth goal.

"No, no, no, no, no. NO!"

"Actually, it's more like yes, yes, yes, yes, and what was it again? Yes!"

"Go fuck yourself." She said through gritted teeth.

"So unlady-like."

He mocked her, enjoying her misery.

She gave another cry of anger. And skulked off to the change rooms, ignoring him, and the crowd.

All she could think about was the fact that she would have to quit the team for two months. The mere thought of it sent dreadful shivers down her spine.

"I swear I'll get you back for this, Adams!" She yelled aloud, to no one in particular.


	2. Chapter 01: Icing on the Cake

13 Shades of Grey

Chapter 01: Icing on the Cake

Disclaimer: Look back at the prologue, which will be about the place it is.

Thanks to: ButterCup, and Danslespommes for reviewing. Er. It's Brooklyn/Arista, and Kai/Amber. The rest of the pairings are Hitoshi/Shahero, Ozuma/Sonia, Johnny/Miyami, and Kane/Aspin.

* * *

"You want to what?"

"Quit the team for two months..."

"But why?"

"Because. I'm - I'm failing math. Yeah, and Professor thinks I should take a two-month break..."

Arista stood face to face with Mr. Dickinson, explaining to him why she wanted to quit. She wasn't smiling, and there wasn't any hint of mischief on her face. So he assumed she was telling the truth, still he wanted to know why.

"I don't see why you need a break, can't someone tutor you? That would be more reasonable."

There was just no getting through to this man; he just seemed to find out a reason to stop her quitting. And if she told him the truth, then she wouldn't be allowed to leave. Life was so un-fair.

* * *

"First of all, I want you to call me Master."

"No."

"You have to, we made a bet. It's the unwritten rule that when you make a bet, you live up to it."

"Yes, Master Dicklyn." She added in and undertone, that gave her some satisfaction, but she would get him back. No way she let him get away with this.

"Pass me a coffee."

"But your hormones are already on overdrive." She snickered.

Rolling his eyes, he reached past her, to the counter of the small restaurant, and picked up a coffee.

"When I tell you to do something, you do it. Understood?"

"Understood, Master Dicklyn." She saluted him, but just couldn't stop a smirk from forming on her lips.

"Stop calling me that. Jesus Christ, Belyaev, what's gotten into you?"

She snorted, as if he didn't already know. It would have been the same the other way around, if he had had to quit the team. He'd be pissed as hell too.

That was what had brought them together, she mused. She had met her friends because they were all on the team, and because they related so well with one another. She didn't want the bonds she'd made to be broken, and no way in hell she'd let Dicklyn even try.

Ignoring him, she closed her eyes, easing her mind a little. She could feel a headache coming on, and the music in the restaurant didn't help much. It was rap, or some kind of up-beat crap. She opened them, and turned to face him.

"Do you have any drugs on you?"

"What the hell kind of question is that? I don't do drugs."

His face was amusing to watch, as he sat there, sipping his coffee. It was like watching a soap opera; all the mood swings he went through were probably as many moods swings the characters went through daily. She laughed inwardly.

He turned to her; she was stifling a few laughs and glancing at him. Weirded out, he continued to sip his coffee, trying to block her from view. But that was useless, curiosity getting the better of him.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Your face."

"I'm serious."

"You wouldn't understand 'Lyn. You have to have a sense of humour." She giggled loudly, and ended up stuffing her fist in her mouth to quiet down.

"What did you have for breakfast? Are you on crack or something?"

She narrowed her eyes at him, he returned the gesture. "No, I'm not, 'Lyn. I was asking about Tylenol or Advil kind of drugs. I'm not stupid."

"Could've fooled me."

Why he was being so lenient with Arista, Brooklyn didn't know. She was just so, well actually he didn't know, but she was different to say the least. He didn't give her enough credit, and she was obviously high, and possibly pissed off?

They were walking on the sidewalk, towards his silver Mercedes.

"I want popcorn, get me some 'Lyn."

He gave a cry of frustration; there was no getting through to this girl. She was acting like an immature selfish prat. Maybe he should just give her _yes_ or _no_ answers.

"It's the middle of the day, what do you want popcorn for? And it's the other way around; you do what I say, capiché?"

"Mmmn, cappuccino."

"What?"

"I change my mind; I want a cappuccino, and an Oreo Ice cream sandwich."

Ignoring her would have been easy, but she wouldn't stop talking, even if he wasn't.

Only a few steps left to his car. Good thing, because Arista's legs felt wobbly, and she knew they'd give in some time real soon.

"Maybe I had a little too much to drink... Screw that. I'm still thirsty."

She turned to Brooklyn, to poke him, bother him to get her a beer or something. He stopped walking, fishing around in his pocket for his keys, and she bumped right into him. She could hear cursing coming from him.

Brooklyn turned around, coffee was spilled on his jeans, looking as if he wet himself. The only reason he had had his coffee on the go was because people were starting to stare at him and her. It was embarrassing, so he'd paid and left, dragging her with him.

"What the hell is your problem? Look, I won fair and square, so quit being a prat. Act your own age for a change."

Arista's face darkened, she crossed her arms over her chest. On the other hand Brooklyn was wiping away with his sleeve, trying to soak up the coffee that had spilled.

"You need the diaper, Master Dicklyn Sir."

She grinned but it quickly changed to fear, as Brooklyn's rage got the better of him. He looked like a maniac; he could have hit her, right there on the spot. But he didn't.

Cautiously, she took a step back. "Get in the car." He snarled, his voice was low, dangerous, he continued to glare at her.

"He took the keys out of his pockets, and opened the locks. Opening the drivers' door, he got inside and revved the engine.

She walked around to the passengers' side, and quickly got inside. She strapped on the seatbelt, and turned to him.

"Maybe you shouldn't be driving. You look sort of... angry."

He turned to her and practically shouted. "It's my car; I'll do whatever the fuck I want with it."

"Does that include screwing it?"

She couldn't help it; it was easy just that easy to piss him off. "All right, look, I'm sorry okay? I'm just concerned about my health. I'd like to live another hour at the most. And you do look angry, well actually you probably are, but that's beside the point, the point being--"

He cut her off. "I'm not the one all high on a hangover. I thought people were supposed to get sick, not high."

As if on cue, Arista's stomach twisted, and knotted. In an instance she had thrown up all over the front passengers seat.

"Happy now?" She asked, drunkenly then wiped her mouth and groaned.

"This is just my day."

She swiped the back of her hand against her mouth again, and grinned

"Then would it matter if I told you that we just ran out of gas?"

"Icing on the fucking cake." He snarled.

* * *

Brooklyn sighed. He had used all his money and borrowed some from Arista to get gas for the car. They had to walk four blocks to get it and they had ended forgetting their money the first time. Brooklyn had to run back and get his wallet. When he got there he paid, but ran short ten dollars and thirty cents. Arista had supposedly found her wallet in her jeans pocket and helped him pay. In return she had something over him, and the number of the cashier. It had taken and hour and a half. And he still didn't get anything to eat, or what he wanted for that matter. What he'd originally wanted to get were cigarettes but he didn't have any money left, and he didn't want to turn back.

[I could be mean/I could be angry/You know I could be just like you]

Arista sang along with the radio. She had turned it up to full volume. Her head bobbed along with the loud music.

[I could be fake/I could be stupid/You know I could be just like you]

Brooklyn figured he should cut her a break. She had to quit the team for two months and he knew what it felt like to just watch and not do anything. It ripped him up every time he had to watch some one else from his team score. Maybe that was why he wasn't trying to bother her. He was just letting her have her way. For today. If she thought this was what it would be like, then she was dead wrong.

[You thought you were standing beside me/You were only in my way/You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you]

Arista's voice was straining while she sang. She sat in the back seat now. The front seat was covered with unknown substances. Brooklyn said she would have to clean it later, she just figured if when they got back to school, that she would just avoid him for the rest of the weekend. Like she usually did. He was good looking, but like hell was she going to tell him that. She wasn't sure if she liked him or not, but he was constant source of outlet. When everything just got too much for her, he would always find her and annoy her. That pissed her off more, and she vented everything at him.

[You thought you were there to guide me/You were only in my way/You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you/You thought you were there to guide me/You were only in my way/You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you]

His stomach rumbled, but he barely heard it over the music. It was only until he felt his stomach muscles tighten, and his tongue dry up. He turned the music lower and stared at Arista through the drivers mirror.

[I could be cold/I could be ruthless/You know I could be just like you]

He didn't want to admit that he was hungry, and he didn't want to tell her. He sighed and was about to talk when she opened her mouth before him.

"I'm hungry." She complained. "Can we stop and eat? Please?"

[I could be weak/I could be senseless/You know I could be just like you]

"Sure." He answered quickly. Then turned into the left lane and put his car light on to signal he would turn left.

The music had been turned off so that an uneasy silence settled between them as he drove the car into the parking lot of Costco. She raised her eyebrows at him after they got out.

"I'm not paying for you."

"Don't need you to. They have free samples." He smirked at her.

"Yeah well, you should know. You probably live off them." She grinned and ran ahead of him into the store.

He scowled and wondered if he would ever have a straight conversation with her without getting insulted.

* * *

Shahero lazily walked down the hall to her dorm room. She had had another argument with Tyson's older brother, Hitoshi. That guy always seemed to find his way under her skin and she hated that. Now she had another detention slip to add to ever growing pile of pink slips. Just her luck. She was supposed to be with Mr. Bailey five minutes ago, she confirmed after a quick glance at her watch.

She started running the opposite way from her dormitory. She climbed two flights of stairs and kept running until she got to room 205. Miyami was in there, as were Amber, Ian, and another kid she didn't recognize.

"Hey Hero."

"Miss Kaeto, will you explain why your so late?" The dark man named Charles Bailey asked her. His eyes were narrowed and he didn't appear too happy. A red button down shirt clung to him; white pants were loose on his legs. Black eyes were staring at her, and his mouth was set into a thin line.

"I was in the washroom." She said it almost automatically, the lie slid off her tongue smoothly. She watched him nod slowly then motion for her to take a seat.

He scanned the students in the classroom then lowered his gaze to the novel he was reading.

"What are you in for?" Amber asked when Shahero sat down at a desk right beside her.

"Hitoshi." She said frustratedly. "You?"

Amber nodded then twisted her mouth. "Him." She drew back her thumb and pointed her finger at Ian Petrovich. He sat two seats back and one across from them.

Miyami poked Amber, and when the ochre teen looked back, Miyami held up her sketchbook. Amber snorted, then giggled. Shahero turned around to look at the drawing.

It was Ian. And he was wearing a dress with frills and lace. Ribbons decorated him. He had a narrow waist, and curvy hips, his legs were femininely long and slender. His eyelashes were twice the normal length, and his lips were in a pout. His eyes were hooded lazily, while he was standing in a girlish pose. His hair was long and went to the small of his back, but the fringe was still there. His nose was as large as ever.

Shahero's jaw dropped at how life like the picture was. She knew Miyami was an artist but she had only seen sketches. She started laughing, and put her hands over her mouth to quiet herself, which was no use seeing as she couldn't stop laughing.

Bailey looked at them curiously after hearing laughter. His eyes narrowed. "Keep it down."

Amber and Shahero lowered their voices, only snickers could be heard.

"We have to photocopy that and post it everywhere!" Shahero exclaimed.

"Yeah. Serves him right, he put gum in my hair and glued my pencils together. Then he put rotten food in my locker." Amber said, her eyes held Ian's and she smirked.

Ian watched her, he couldn't hear what she was saying but he didn't like the cynical glint she had in her amber eyes. He narrowed his own eyes and watched the three girls snicker and look at a book Miyami was holding.

"What are you laughing at?" He hissed viciously but quietly so that Bailey wouldn't hear him.

"Why, we're laughing at your face Ian." Amber's voice was laced with sarcasm and insult.

"Let me see that." He reached with his hand then held it out but only got pencil shavings that Miyami threw into his outstretched hand.

"What the hell?" He yelled when he saw what had been placed instead of the grey book. He figured it was a sketchbook the way Miyami kept scribbling things in it then showing it to Amber and Shahero. It was obvious it was something to do with him since they kept looking at him then at whatever Miyami had drawn. He shoved the shavings on the floor. Whatever the hell they were up to, he'd figure a way around it. He was good at pranks, and almost always got away with it. But sometimes he wouldn't think clearly and would screw it up and get a detention.

He lunged at the book that Miyami was holding, but she was quicker and dodged sending Ian spiralling towards the floor. Amber sneered and laughed at him, Shahero was already doubled over with laughter. Tears were forming in her eyes as she struggled to keep them from falling.

"What's the problem?" Bailey questioned.

"Uh, nothing. But Ian needs to get his hormones in check." Miyami drawled and smirked. She snickered at the Russian on the floor.

His face was beat red and unlike the picture she had drawn he was angry and anything but feminine. Ian fisted his hands and got up. He stalked back to his seat and cursed. After sitting down he rubbed the dirt off himself and glared at Amber. She in return, stuck out her tongue and pulled her eyelid down.

Ian gathered enough control to not have a go at her. One of these days he would deck her, when she was least expecting it. That would show her, he thought. He stuck up his middle finger at her; she returned the gesture carelessly. That only made him angrier. But he held it in.

An idea hit him. A slow, twisted smile found its way onto his lips.

Amber frowned, that look so did not suit him. He was up to something. _Well, whatever he does, I can do better._ She pushed her hair back from her face, then mimicked his smile as best she could.

Ian faltered for just a second. What the hell had she just thought of? _Damn it. _He grinned again, that same twisted smile. _Whatever she does, I can do better._

Amber noticed that look in his eyes, Just what was he thinking. Deciding she was no mind reader, she just held his gaze unblinkingly. He followed the same.

Miyami watched them, then looked down at her drawing. It was missing something. Then she figured it out. Her drawing of Ian Petrovich was missing a chest. She snickered at the thought, while her gaze flicked over to the midget Russian. She held his gaze for a split second before rubbing out a part of Ian's body with the eraser off the top of her pencil. Ian didn't notice though.

"Hey, Ams." Shahero poked the Irishwoman and waited for a response. When she didn't get any, she poked her again.

"What?" But Amber never removed her eyes of Ian. They were now locked in a staring match.

"Don't look now, but Kai's coming."

Amber's eyes glared daggers at the door, only to see no one was there. "Liar. Now look, I lost." She skulked childishly.

"Well, you weren't listening. Anyways, look he's asleep." She pointed to the sleeping adult at the front of the class. "Come on, let's go. Sonia said she would help us with that English essay, let's go now before she goes to one of those prefect meetings."

"Yami, you coming?" Amber got up and turned around.

"What, and miss staying here in this cold room listening to someone snore and someone else glare at me?" Sarcasm dripped off every word.

"Come on then." Shahero said. All three of them made their way out of the classroom quietly then closed the door.

When they stepped outside Shahero immediately pulled out a necklace. It had a circle pendant in a blue colour. And a key dangled from it. She took of the necklace, then jammed the key into the lock and twisted it. There was a click to signify that the door had locked from the outside.

Miyami and Amber stared curiously at her. "Who gave you that?" Miyami asked.

"Kane got it from Dickenson when he became head boy. Aspin stole and made me a copy. Locks any door and opens any door. At least that's what Kane always says. Beside," She grinned "Ian's still in there."

* * *

I hope you liked this chapter. Press the lilac(?) coloured button down there and review plz. Updates on this fic will be much faster than on Schizophrenic.

_Hasta, Arcada_


	3. Chapter 02: Fist Fights

13 Shades of Grey

Chapter 02: Fist Fights

RAN: Eh voila, here is chapter three. R&R please. I hope I didn'y mess up on the translation, sorry if they're not perfect.

Arista fumed while she watched Brooklyn and the rest of her former team practice drills. They were skating on the smooth ice, around bright orange pylons. She held in her anger as best she could but couldn't stop it from forming in the pit of her stomach.

She cursed the red head. Damn him. It was his fault. Everything was his fault. If the clouds came crashing down from the sky she would blame him. If World War III started it would be his fault. If the school burned down, it would be his fault. There wouldn't need to be an explanation why, it would just be his fault. Simple as that.

She ground out a cry of fury while she watched them aim shots at the net. Mariah was guarding it, but every now and then a puck would go flying in. She cursed the pink haired female too. If it were her in there she wouldn't let in a single puck, she thought to herself. Turmoil was rapidly gathering in her stomach. Should she just back out of the dare? Watching and not playing was bad enough. But then he would get the satisfaction of seeing her take the cowards' way out. She wouldn't let that happen. Couldn't, she realized bitterly.

Her heart sunk again when Mariah let another puck slip in through from the top left corner of the net. This was too much. She had to get away. She had to go somewhere, do something. She went into the change rooms, and searched around for a c.d. player. She found one in Shahero's bags pocket. Taking it out she slipped on the headphones and pushed play.

Swallowed up in the sound of my screaming

Cannot cease for the fear of silent nights

Oh how I long for the deep sleep dreaming

The goddess of imaginary lights

Arista sighed with relief. She turned the volume up most of the way blocking out all sound save for the music. She hummed along with the tune, and exited the small room. She left the rink, and made her way to the stairs. She climbed them quickly and made her way to the roof of the school. Cursing because she didn't bring a sweater or a jacket, she made her way into the cold. It wrapped around her like a blanket of icy coolness.

In my field of paper flowers

And candy clouds of lullaby

I lie inside myself for hours

And watch my purple sky fly over me

She shivered slightly, but continued to walk to the edge of the building. She sat down, her legs dangling over the edge of the giant limestone school. She sighed and lowered her head. She had a need to just jump over that board and take Mariah's place. A need she hardly had control over. It frustrated her that because of her stupidness she couldn't play for her team. And that was what was driving her crazy. _What ifs_ continued to fill her head.

I linger in the doorway

Of alarm clocking screaming monsters calling my name

(Let me stay)

Were the wind will whisper to me

And the raindrops falling tell a story

She shook her head. Being pessimistic wouldn't help her any. It would, though, she thought happily, annoy Brooklyn. Annoying him gave her satisfaction just because that was something she had over him. Right now, she wanted beat him to a bloody pulp.

If you need to leave the world you live in

Lay your head down and stay awhile

Though you may not remember dreaming

Something waits for you to breathe again

Arista's lips curved. _If I ignore and avoid him, I don't have to do anything he says._

In my field of paper flowers

And candy clouds of lullaby

I lie inside myself for hours

And watch my purple sky fly over me

Arista tensed when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She spun around and pushed whoever it was back, and onto the ground. She stared at the old man. Then mumbled a sorry, and held out a hand to help him up.

He said something but she couldn't hear him. She couldn't hear him, so she lowered the volume on the song and waited for him to repeat himself.

"What are doing up here?" He asked her.

"I was thinking and... Well I wasn't actually, I... I don't feel well." She ended lamely. "I should go."

In my field of paper flowers

And candy clouds of lullaby

I lie inside myself for hours

And watch my purple sky fly over me

He nodded. "Looks like thunder and rain. Better get inside, I still have to mop up here." The janitor motioned with his hand towards the bucket and mop behind him.

"Yeah." She glanced at it. "You should get Swiffer Wet Jet. It's a hell of a lot easier to use." She suggested because she felt awkward after having knocked him down for no reason.

"You would know." She just shrugged her shoulders. "I'll hold you to it. Put in a good word for it with the VP."

She smiled because she suddenly felt a lot better. "Sure thing."

Arista literally skipped her way to the door, and jumped down the stairs two at a time. She ran past everyone and made her way to her dorm room. She ran inside and made her way to the stereo. She slipped in a cd from the stack on the floor, and pushed play. She skipped it forward to song number five and listened to the music pour out of the stereos.

Somewhere there's speaking

It's already coming in

Oh, and it's rising

At the back of your mind

You never could get it  
Unless you were fed it  
Now you're here

And you don't know why

She smiled and threw off her t-shirt. She still had on a tank top underneath, but she left it on. She found her towel on the floor and went to her bed drawer to get clean underwear. Then she realized who was sitting on her bed. Her smile quickly faded, an angry frown covered it now.

* * *

"Sonia!" Ozuma yelled across the hall to the garnet haired girl. "Wait up." He pushed his way through the crowd and joined her side. Amber was mumbling something incoherent and looking over a piece of paper. 

"Hey, Oz. Sup?" She smiled at him.

"Going to study hall. I have to finish my maths homework."

"Yeah. I just got my History essay back. I got a fucking fifty-three per cent. Apparently it's not in 'properly written paragraphs' and it lacks a certain _something_." Amber said angrily. She shoved the paper into her pants pocket and looked to the ceiling of the hallway. "Does he hate me or what?"

Ozuma shrugged. It was hard to hate her, Amber was just likeable. "I don't think so." He thought out loud.

"Yeah, it's kinda hard to hate you." Sonia added.

"If it is, then why the hell is my locker painted over with yellow and pink stripes?!" Sure enough there were striped of pink and yellow on her locker. It was still wet and there were drops falling in sputters to the floor.

Amber charged towards it, and wiped furiously at the paint. When she couldn't get it off she gave cry of anger and frustration. The paint wasn't quite dry yet so it was all over her hands. She didn't realize and unconsciously ran her hands through her hair leaving streaks of paint behind. She struggled to open her lock, and had to try the combo at least four times before it opened in her haste.

A tumble of books, paper, clothes and other knick-knacks fell out, knocked her down. She sat on the floor. Most of everything had fallen into her lap, and everything else was scattered in the floor in front, behind and around her.

"I'm going to kill that little jackass!"

She shoved everything back into her locker furiously then tore off down the hall. Ian Petrovich was going to die, then go to hell, then come back and be reincarnated so she could kill him again.

Sonia and Ozuma couldn't help but laugh at the Irish teen's misfortune.

"What are you laughing at?" Aspin asked as she joined them, Kane was walking along side her and joined them too. She glanced at the painted locker. "And what the hell happened there? Did someone lose their eyesight?"

The four of them stopped to look at the locker.

"Ian never had any colour co-ordination." Kane snickered.

"I don't know how you put up with him." Sonia said exasperatedly.

"Hush." Aspin ordered. "That's a good boy." She coaxed him and patted his head after scratching behind his ear.

"I'm not a dog."

"You look like one." Miyami said from down the hallway. She was holding a box overflowing with paper. Some of them fell down. She bent over and lifting them put them back in the box. Kai walked out of a classroom with a similar box, except his was a bit bigger.

"What are you doing?" Sonia asked.

"We're holding boxes." Kai replied.

Aspin rolled her eyes. "Besides that."

"Delivering papers to teachers." At Ozuma's raised eyebrows Miyami elaborated. "It's a make up detention. We weren't paying attention when we were supposed to."

"Oh. So what kind of papers?" He probed.

"Blank, white sheets because there was a note on the VP's desk saying that everyone ran out. So now we have to give them out or be stuck with Mr. Sherman in the Science lab cleaning out dissection plates."

"I guess you know what we chose." Kai added as an afterthought.

"Way to be Mr. Obvious." Kane said sarcastically.

Aspin rolled her eyes again. "I said _hush_ boy." She yanked on his tie. Kane just shrugged his shoulder. Sonia laughed.

"Good boy, you deserve a cookie." Sonia patted his head and smiled.

Ozuma laughed at that. "Come on let's go." Aspin and Kane left them walking opposite ways. Ozuma and Sonia walked the other way towards the study hall.

Miyami and Kai continued to put a stack of papers in every classroom.

* * *

Brooklyn was laying down on what he figured was Arista's bed. It was comfortable, so he made himself at home. As much as possible anyway. There were dark blue pillows, and navy comforter striped with silver. The pillows had been decorated with tattoos and designs. He guessed that Miyami had helped with most of them. There was a dragon in red fabric paint, a phoenix in gold, a lion in white, Sagittarius was written in block letters decorated with stars and a rose tattoo. 

Just then the door opened and Arista came waltzing in. She had smile on her face and made her way to the stereo in the corner of the room. She probably didn't even realize he was here.

She put in a cd and pushed a few buttons. He watched her. She took off her t-shirt and threw it on the floor. A blue tank top with the words 'Bite Me' was visible in silver handwriting. She looked around for her towel and found it on the floor near the door. Picking it up she sang along with the song and made her way towards her dresser drawer.

But under skinned knees and the skid marks  
Past the places where you used to learn  
You howl and listen  
Listen and wait for the  
Echoes of angels who won't return

She opened it, then turned her head and cocked it towards him. The smile fell from her face immediately. She scowled and scrunched her nose.

"What are you doing here?" Arista ground out.

"Sitting. What does it look like?" He retorted.

"Zasranec!" She cursed him angrily.[1]

He's everything you want  
He's everything you need  
He's everything inside of you  
That you wish you could be  
He says all the right things  
At exactly the right time  
But he means nothing to you  
And you don't know why

He rolled his eyes. _I guess she forgot I'm Russian too._

"Ya paneemayoo Russian."[2]

"Mne do lampochki." She snapped at him.[3]

"Well, I do." He said calmly, and smirked.

This was great. Fucking great, she thought to herself. How come he had to be everywhere to ruin everything for her. She'd wanted to take a bath and forget about him, but no. Not even a simple thing like that. He was the devil's advocate. Out there to ruin everything.

"Loh! Poydi ki Chertu." She shoved him hard with her arms. He fell back onto the bed and rolled over to fall onto the other side of it.[4]

You're waiting for someone  
To put you together  
You're waiting for someone to push you away  
There's always another wound to discover  
There's always something more you wish he'd say 

Brooklyn got up; walked around to her side and stood in front of her.

"What did you do that for?"

"Because I wanted to! What does it matter? You're such an asshole. What do you want anyways?"

His confused and angry eyes met hers. "I was waiting for you."

"Why the hell for?" She snapped.

"Because," He reached into his pocket and took out a piece of paper then handed it to her.

"Remember that?" He asked her.

She glanced it over. It was a contract, she assumed. It had her signature and his.

I, Arista Belyaev, agree to sign this paper knowledgably knowing that I owe Brooklyn Adams 13 days of service under which terms I do whatever he wants me to.

Sighed on the date of: 9 October 2004

Under that it had 'Signed by' and their signatures. She re-read it and remembered signing it right after she had left the change room the day he beat her.

He's everything you want  
He's everything you need  
He's everything inside of you  
That you wish you could be  
He says all the right things  
At exactly the right time  
But he means nothing to you  
And you don't know why

Arista hated him even more now. She scrunched the paper up into a ball and slipped it into her mouth. She chewed it quickly and swallowed it awkwardly, almost chokingly. Brooklyn didn't even try and stop her. He just watched her almost boredly.

"I made more than one copy."

"Fuck you." She aimed a punch at his gut, his hand came down, blocked it. She used her other hand to aim a punch on his eye. He easily caught and held it.

She gritted her teeth. "Let go! "

But you'll just sit tight  
And watch it unwind  
It's only what you're asking for  
And you'll be just fine  
With all of your time  
It's only what you're waiting for

He considered it for a moment, thinking about it. She was on an 'Angry at the World rampage'. The music continued to play in the background. He was about to let go but she didn't want to wait for him to choose.

She aimed a kick where the sun didn't shine. He let go of her writst's like they were a wasp's nest, and instinctively lowered them. He groaned in agony. Arista didn't even glance at him; she just grabbed a sweater from the floor and ran out the door leaving it open.

She kept running, didn't look back once. After she made her way out of the school she ran and didn't stop until she was at the Skate Park. She saw Shahero on the bench and made her way across to her.

"Hey." Arista sat down on the bench.

"Suppers?" Shahero could see that the other girls' cheeks were rosy and pink. She looked out of breath and her sweater was on backwards.

Arista shook her head. "Nothing. What're you up to?"

"Thinking about shit and stuff." Shahero smiled.

"That's what _washrooms_ were made for."

"So? It's a free country!"

Arista laughed. "Yeah."

"Your sweaters backwards."

"So? Like you said, it's a free country."

"Damn right."

A comfortable silence settled down on them. They continued to sit there in each other's company for at least a quarter of an hour before they decided to leave.

"It's really cold, come on let's go."

Shahero nodded in agreement and got up. They started walking back to their school.

* * *

Amber jerked her head around when she heard a noise. She was inside the gym, and Ian was hiding from her. She had found him in the boys' washroom after Bryan told her where he was. She'd waited for him to come out, when he saw her he almost automatically ran past her. She chased after him and they'd ended up in the gym. 

Because he had gotten in here before her, he had hidden somewhere and she couldn't find him. He was small making it easy to hide from her. She would wait him out, she decided. He would have to do or go somewhere eventually. She heard another noise from behind her, and turned around.

There was Ian dragging out two rolls of dodge balls. She groaned, this wasn't going to be pretty. Ian smirked and glanced at her. He reached down towards the rack of plush balls, and picked up two. He threw one at her but she dodged. He threw the other at her; it hit her on the leg.

Amber scrambled to pick up the fallen dogde balls and throw them back at him. She threw some well aimed and others flopped onto the ground. Ian kept grabbing and throwing until he ran out. Then he picked them off the floor and threw them at him. Amber covered her head with her arms, blocking her view of him. Ian took the opportunity to run away.

When the rein of dodge balls stopped Amber tentatively looked up, Ian was no where to be seen. "Damn it!" She cursed then ran out the doors.

Ian wasn't far off when she started after him again; he looked back and yelped almost tripping. Amber's eyes were narrowed and angry. A chain of curses and profanities wrung through the still air. If there was anyone lurking in the hallway or any teachers in the classrooms they did nothing to stop the two, or stop the yelling.

"Get back here, ass wipe!"

"In your dreams." Ian shouted back.

Ian darted to the stairs and climbed them quickly; Amber copied him jumping them two at a time. She made to grab the back of his shirt but narrowly missed. He cursed and bolted up. Amber growled and tripped on her untied shoelaces. She was at the top of the stairs now; she fell forward but used her hands to brace her fall. Her left sneaker slid forwards. She scrambled up and shoved it back on roughly, shoving her laces into her shoes.

There was a prick in her knee, but she ignored it and kept running. She pushed open the doors on someone. She didn't bother to care she was knocked down again when a big brown box fell on top of her. Blood sputtered around her, but it wasn't hers. The wind was knocked out of her lungs, and she struggled to breathe.

"Amber?" Miyami surveyed the female under Kai and the box. "Shit! Here." She pulled Kai up and shoved the box off Amber.

She reached out a hand and helped Amber up. She turned to face the blunette. "Kai, you okay?"

Kai's hands, which were red with blood now, covered his nose. Blood was leaking through his hands and spilling on the ground. His crimson eyes rolled back, and he moaned in pain.

Amber didn't notice him, all she could think about was that Ian was getting away. She took in a few breaths then turned around and ran after Ian.

She didn't have far to go because Ian jumped her when she was about to turn the corner, he landed on top of her. She fell to the floor again.

"What the hell? Geroff me!"

Amber struggled with him, and pushed him back knocking him off balance. Ian fell to the floor, Amber turned him around and straddled his legs. She twisted back his arm and held him in an uncomfortable position.

"Amber!" Miyami called from down the hall. Amber turned around and her grip on Ian loosened. He took the opportunity to knock her off him. Amber fell back and groaned. She shook her head and got up, Ian was facing her in a fighting stance.

"I don't usually hit girls, but then again when are you ever a girl?"

"You want hand to hand, Petrovich?" Amber took her own stance. "You're going down. I'll hit you so hard you won't know what happened."

Ian feigned a punch to her stomach, she lowered her hands to block it. He used his other fist to make an uppercut jab to her face. It hit on target, making her go back a few steps.

"Damn you." She spat then kicked his knee so it made a sickening crack. Amber aimed a punch to his gut, and another to his face. He couldn't move fast enough to block so her punches landed on target.

Arista and Shahero ran to where Amber was and stood ready to fight.

"I've always wanted to beat Ian to a bloody pulp." Shahero sniggered.

"Yeah. He's always annoyed me." Arista smirked.

"Your face annoys me, Belyaev." Ian said, his eyes shifting around from face to face.

"Yeah well, your existence annoys me. So let's take you out of it." She shot back.

In one quick movement Arista had dumped him to the floor and held his hands down, Amber straddled him so he couldn't get up and started punching his stomach. Shahero waited anxiously until Amber was done. When she was done Shahero took her place, and pounded him.

After putting all the paper back in the boxes, and getting Kai paper to stop the bleeding, Miyami made her way to the trio beating Ian. She smirked and watched them.

"Amber, you possibly broke Kai's nose, and now you want to kill Ian too? I thought one a day was ho you were going to handle it."

"I lost count." She answered merrily. "Besides Wonder boy looks better that way." She said after glancing at Kai. He was a way off, but his hands and a bunch of toilet paper covered his nose.

"My turn." Arista said happily and took Shahero's place. She aimed a few punches to his face, and a few to his guts. She decided that he was already beaten enough and got off him. Amber let go of him as well and got up.

"Cheers to a job well done." Shahero commented. "This calls for a celebration."

"Yeah. Let's get really, really drunk." Arista suggested.

"Uh-huh. Miyami, are you gunna come?" Amber asked her Japanese friend.

"Nah, I gotta finish putting the papers away. Besides, I doubt Kai will wanna join anyway."

"See ya." The three linked arms and skipped away down the hall and turned the corner.

Ian was on the ground, too tired and sore to get up. Miyami watched him and kicked him just for good measure. Ian groaned and rolled over. He hoisted himself up by using his hands as support and lifted himself off the linoleum floor.

"I always get the last laugh, they're going down." He said to himself through gritted teeth. He started his way down the hall opposite the way Amber, Arista, and Shahero had taken. He made it to is dorm, and slipped into bed after taking a few Advil's.

* * *

[1] "Zasranec!" (Asshole)

[2] "Ya paneemayoo Russian." (I understand Russian)

[3] "Mne do lampochki." (I don't care)

[4] "Loh! Poydi ki Chertu." (Loser! Go to Hell)


	4. Chapter 03: Itching Powder

13 Shades of Grey

Chapter 03: Itching Powder

Thanks to: **ButterCup**: I'm glad you liked it. I like Ian. Honestly, I just like putting him through torture. **StarAnegl Caelum SunSoar: **It's nice to know you understand. That makes it more. Here's the update. **Zadien: **I like writing Angst. It was your idea for the apology so here ya go. Tala's captain. It suits him. **Alexis: Digital Survivor: **Hey, I',m glad you like it.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed. It means a lot to me. So review this chapter too and you all get cookies.

* * *

Guilt, Amber decided was something she wasn't entirely too familiar with. And definitely something she didn't like. She hated the fact that she had to apologize, to none other than Kai himself. She hadn't meant to break his nose. It was pure accident. And she didn't mean to rub it in the other night. Her mind was on Ian and she would have apologized but it had never come to that. Sure she got in trouble but it was purposely, and it didn't hurt anyone by accident.

She dragged her hands through her hair, which was left open today. Groaning when she saw Kai's class had ended through the glass window of the classroom. Why did he have to have been there when she was opening the damn door? He had probably done it on purpose, just to make her feel bad. No, she rethought that. Why would he break his nose to get at her?

That wasn't like him. Neither was this like her. Amber sighed and followed after him down the hallway. "Kai," She called out. "Wait!"

He stopped and turned around. She ran to catch up to him, elbowing people out of her way as she went past. Kai saw that it was Amber, and turned around and continued walking. His nose had swelled, if only just a little, and was rosy. His eyes narrowed in annoyance as another flicker of pain shot through it.

Damn her, he thought to himself. She ruined everything for him. He continued walking and picked up his pace a little, losing her in the crowd. Or so he thought.

Amber stood in front of him, blocking his way into the boys' washroom. She panted and, her cheeks were the slightest shade of pink, her left eye was bruised black and blue no doubt caused by Petrovich.

"Get out of my way." He growled.

"I--No! Wait, just hear me out. It's about yesterday, I'm sorry." She rushed it out quickly.

His eyes narrowed in anger and something else she couldn't recognize. Couldn't she see she had hurt him enough? In more ways than one. He didn't need a bruise on his ego to match the one on his heart, and his face.

"Goddamn it! Get out of my way." He made to shove past her, but she blocked him. Unlike

Ian, Kai didn't hit females. He took a step back and started to walk away.

"Kai!" She called out, shocking him and herself. A scowl set on her lips, and her eyebrows scrunched together. Confused, as to whether she should try and apologize again or just walk away, she stood there not knowing what to do. When he simply got over the shock, he started to walk away yet again.

She shot after him, and grabbed his arm. He tried to yank it away from her, but that just brought her closer to him.

"Why aren't you listening to me? I'm trying to say--"

"Why can't you leave me alone?" He said in a whisper-like voice. It was infuriating him that she just wouldn't give up.

Amber's breath hitched when she sensed the anger in his voice. "I--I'm sorry."

He continued to stare at her indifferently. Kai yanked his arm away, and said, "I don't need your apology, Benson." He sneered when he said her name.

"Well, like it or not, you have to accept it because it's the truth!" She replied indignantly.

"Is it? Or are you saying sorry because you feel guilty? I don't need or want your pity." He snarled and walked around her towards the boys' washrooms, disappearing behind the doors.

Amber closed her eyes, and sighed. If she had to go in there, then by sweet baby Jesus, she would. She turned and stalked awkwardly into the washroom.

She heard an intake of breath and immediately closed her eyes. She put her hands around them and lowered her head. She heard the door open and close. She prayed that Kai hadn't left.

"Okay, so I feel bad. It was an accident. I didn't mean for that to happen. I wasn't thinking and I was going after Ian, not you. You have to understand that. I couldn't have known that you'd be there. I didn't mean to hurt you, and I'm sorry. I am deeply, truly sorry Kai. If you can't understand that then I guess I'll have to live with it."

Kai contemplated her words, and thought about them though saying nothing, only grunted to signal he had heard it. He heard a sigh from her. He waited to see if she would continue.

"If you won't accept my apology then I have nothing more to say to you." She opened her eyes, keeping her gaze to the floor and cautiously opened the door of the room. She glanced around to see if there were any teachers around. When she saw none, she walked out

avoidantly and then fled down the hallway not to be spotted by anyone she knew.

Hoping that Kai would forgive her, she made her way to the Café. Before she even reached it, she was pulled over by Aspin and Miyami.

"Hey. We have a little something to do. We have four bottles of itching powder and Ian's dorm is empty. Wanna help? Arista and Shahero are going to keep watch." Miyami said in a hurried whisper.

"What do you say?" Aspin's emerald green eyes gleamed.

"I, uh, okay. Sure." Amber agreed to get her mind off Kai and what had happened. "I really need something to cheer me up." She grinned and walked off with her friends.

Kai watched her grin, and run off with Miyami and Aspin. So, I guess she didn't mean it. He was disgusted with himself for believing her. He turned around and walked to the stairs. And here he was, ready to accept her apology. His eyes narrowed for another time that day.

"Almost had me fooled Benson."

It hurt him when she looked so miserable. But it wasn't fair that she could rip away at his heart and leave it bleeding. It wasn't fair that she could go on about everyday things without even the littlest clue that everything she did, and said affected him. It just wasn't fair. He growled. His mind was always wandering over to her. He constantly thought about her, and she didn't even realise it. Goddamn it, why should he have to go through every ache, strain, and tear that went through his heart. Why couldn't she share the pain? He sighed and kept walking up the stairs until he had made it to the third floor. He walked slowly towards his English lit. class, in room no. 312.

* * *

"Which one is Ian's drawer?" Aspin asked, looking around.

"The one with the small clothes." Miyami snickered. "This one." She had pulled open a dresser drawer and was taking out clothes and spraying them with the clear-white powder from the bottle labelled Itching Powder.

"Let's get this party started."

Amber joined them and grinned wickedly. They had at least a good ten minutes to spray it all over Ian's clothes. She dug into the drawer and pulled out boxer shorts.

"Ew!" She dropped them like they were poison and wiped her hands on her pants. She put her hand to her heart and said a prayer. She looked around for something long to poke around with when she heard voices outside. They were hardly inaudible but she could make out Arista and Shahero's voice.

"What are you two doing?" Said a third voice.

Outside Arista and Shahero were stalling for time while Brooklyn questioned them why they were standing there.

He had a black eye, and winced when he saw Belyaev. His gaze flickered over her for a second, she held his gaze unblinkingly. He turned away and his eyes rested on Shahero. He held a can of Nestea Ice in his hand, while the other clenched and unclenched in his jeans pocket.

He looked over the Asian female. She had her hair open; her sapphire blue eyes held something close to worry. She smiled uneasily, she was wearing a white blouse and black pants that looked like they would fall off any time, and on top of them she had on a pleated back skirt. She was short, standing at exactly five feet. Compared to him, she was a good 10 inches shorter than he was. She brushed back her silky blue and sapphire streaked hair behind her ear

with her hand.

"What are you doing?" She asked him.

Shahero nudged Arista with her elbow. "Yeah." Her voice wavered slightly.

Brooklyn turned to her. She had her hair open as well. The silver, gold-tipped strands of silk suited her. Navy eyes glinted with amber. She blinked. She was wearing a black sweater with the school's white button down shirt under neath. Grey jeans hung on her hips. Arista stood only six inches shorter than he did. He raised an eyebrow and continued to stare at her.

"What are you doing?" He asked her directly.

"I... Uh, Shahero, and me we're waiting for... for someone. Right?" Because she couldn't stand to see the mark she'd left, she willed herself to look at Shahero.

Shahero had noticed his black eye, and the awkwardness between Arista and Brooklyn.

"Yeah. We're waiting for Johnny."

Brooklyn's gaze didn't falter; he kept his eyes on the Russian. "Johnny's in the café looking around for you, Kaeto. You should go." He took a sip from his drink to wet his parched throat.

"I--"

Brooklyn shot Shahero a piercing look. She swallowed and turned to Arista. "Yeah. Johnny and I needed to talk about something anyway. Gotta go."

She didn't want to leave, but Hitoshi was coming towards them, and besides it looked like Arista and Brooklyn needed to sort something out. She narrowed her eyes when she passed Kinomiya. Before he could even say anything, she gave him the finger and ran off.

He grinned and turned abruptly after her at a casual pace. She was a hell of a female he thought to himself.

Arista watched them leave her. She didn't look back to who was in front of her, instead a

feeling of dread washed over her.

Brooklyn waited for her to look back to him. He wouldn't take the first step. She would have to do that by herself.

When she was sure his gaze was elsewhere she looked up. Mistake, she cursed herself inwardly. His moss green eyes had taken on a bluish tint. He took another sip of his Nestea.

"If you drink that, shouldn't you fall back into a small pool?" She lowered her eyes to the can that rested in his hand.

"I dunno." He said calmly.

Cool and calm, she calculated.

"I don't see a pool."

"Who are you waiting for?"

"Huh?" She had walked around him, looking to see if a pool of water had formed. "Damn ads, they're such cheapskates and liars. There is no pool."

She rambled on about that because it was simply easier to ignore him than to face him.

"Belyaev. You still owe me ten days of servitude."

"Oh. Funny, isn't it?" She laughed nervously. He had taken on a bored monotone voice, almost hollow. "I guess I do. What do you want me to do?"

She had asked him outright because she decided she would face him. Damn straight she would, running away from your problems only made them worse.

He stared at her a second, noticing the change in attitude. "My room needs cleaning. You have an empty period next class, so do I."

She bit the inside of her cheek lightly. "Fine." Then after checking the time on his watch, she said aloud, "It's 12: 58. I'm going to go clean Adams' room now because I still owe him fucking ten days of servitude. Did you know that Shahero left me all alone to go help Johnny with something? I can't believe she did that to me. Now I'm leaving and no one is going to be in this hallway any more."

Brooklyn raised his eyebrows and started to walk, she followed after him but not before giving a sharp rap on the door.

Amber was leaning against the door listening to everything that was being said outside. She checked the clock on the wall of the dorm and cursed.

"Hey, we gotta shove this shit in here, and go!"

They shoved everything into the drawer messily and ran out the door.

"Wait, I forgot the bottle. You guys go ahead, I'll catch up."

Amber ran down the hallway and reopened the door. She stepped inside and found it. After picking it up about to leave the door opened. She ducked into the closet and shut the door to it, just before Kai stepped into the dorm. He tossed his bag down and looked around the room.

He found his bed and looked around to the night table. He picked up a small bottle and since it was his lunch break he took a pill, set his alarm and lay down on his bed. Pulling the covers over his head.

Amber watched tentatively and waited until she was sure he was asleep to open the closet door. She closed it as soon as she opened it, but thankfully the closet door didn't slam.

Ian stepped into the room and opened his drawer. He pulled out a blue logo t-shirt, black pants, and undergarments. He turned towards the closet to get his towel, but he stopped when he found it on the floor.

Amber had to bite her tongue until she drew blood to not burst out laughing at his face. He had paint on it, and his clothes were splattered with red and yellow. His face was a mixture of green and black. No doubt Shahero or someone else had dumped it on him. That's probably what Johnny needed help with, to hold someone down while he could paint him all pretty like a rainbow. She snickered.

When he left to get into the shower she reopened the closet door and stepped out. She walked quickly, glancing at Kai. She tripped and fell on something sharp.

"Fuck!" She yelled out then stamped her hands over her mouth.

Too late, Kai had woken up already. His head shot up and hit the headboard of the bunk bed. Good thing he was on the bottom. He rubbed the side of his head. Kai saw Amber on the floor,

Her feet underneath her. He blinked away the grogginess in his eyes.

"I was just leaving. Go back to sleep." Then because she had seen it in a movie once she said,

"This is all a dream."

"Then why did it hurt when I hit my head?"

"It wasn't real; you're imagining it. Oooh." She waved her arms around lamely doing a ghost-like impression.

"I don't think so."

"No, you don't think." She snickered then her face fell when Ian stepped out of the shower naked.

"What the hell? I thought it the dorm was empty!" He yanked a towel in front of himself.

Amber's eyes widened. "I didn't see anything!" Her face had turned extremely red shade before she bolted out of the dorm still clutching the bottle of Itching powder in her hands tightly. Behind her she heard curses and threats being yelled out by Ian. She didn't stop running to see how far she had gone until she had reached the female side of the dorm hallways. The stairs in the middle separated the two sides.

"Amber?" Mariah yelled out behind her. She caught up to the small female. "What are doing?" She placed a hand on her arm.

"I was running what did it look like?"

"Just that. I have to get to Maths class. See ya." She left Amber to her thoughts.

* * *

"Can I at least eat something? I didn't even have lunch."

"You should have thought of that before you decided to go messing about in Ian's dorm."

"How did you know?"

"I kinda go in there all the time."

Arista growled. "Yeah well, if you care so much why didn't you stop us?"

"Because I don't care that much."

"Uh-huh. You're gay; you just don't know it yet."

Brooklyn didn't reply to her statement. He grabbed his towel and walked into the shower, closing the door behind him.

Arista picked up clothes from the ground and dumped them into a pile of clothes on the floor near a corner. She pulled out a cd from her pocket and after making her way to the stereo she put it in and pushed play.

You my friend  
You're a lot like them  
But I cut your line  
And you know I did  
Now I'm lost in you  
Like I always do  
And I'd die to win  
Cause I'm born to lose

Arista turned the volume up to max while she sang along with the song. Inside the bathroom even Brooklyn could here it over the sound of the water.

Firefly  
Could you shine your light  
Now I know your ways  
Cause there just like mine  
Now I'm justified  
As I fall in line  
And it's hard to try  
When your open wide

She picked up clothes and put them into a pile, she picked up all the books and textbooks and such shoving them into his bag. She didn't even complain about anything, she just picked it off from the floor and put it somewhere. She even had a smile on her face.  
  
_Take my hand  
We'll be off and then  
We'll come back again  
To a different land  
Now I like this way  
You can go away  
If you guess the name  
You cannot replace_

After about ten minutes Brooklyn stepped out of the shower and dried himself off. He opened the door with a pair of jeans on and nothing else. He leaned in the frame of the doorway of the door and watched Arista jump up and down on the spot.

"What are doing?" He walked over to her.

"I'm, ugh, getting the book off the, aah!" She fell down and hit her back. Groaning she got back up and jumped again.

Knowing this was a helpless case he reached up and got it down for her. "Here." He handed it to her. He walked to his drawer and slipped on white button down shirt. He turned to face her and started to do up the buttons.

"You can go if you want."

She looked at him in the eyes. "Sure."

She didn't move then as if in a trance she snapped her head threw the book onto his bag and walked out the door closing it with a _click_.

"She forgot her cd." Brooklyn said absently. He pushed play and listened to whatever it was while he slipped on his socks and shoes.


	5. Chapter 04: Snakes and Spiders

13 Shades of Grey

Chapter 04: Snakes and Spiders

RAN: Heya, sorry for the late update. School started again. Woo-hoo! NOT! Ugh, boring, boring, boring. Anyways, enjoy chappie 4!

Plot: A bet was made and Arista lost. Now she has to do whatever Brooklyn says for 13 days. But when she knocks him unconscious, he loses his memory. Its up to her to bring it back. Is she willing to help him? Maybe she likes him better this way. And maybe she doesn't want him to change back.

* * *

"Shahero!" Arista hissed, slamming down the lid of the box that Shahero was holding. Inside was a snake. They didn't know what kind it was, they just assumed that it wasn't poisonous because otherwise why would it have been at the school grounds? It had scraped its fangs along Shahero's wrist; she was scratching at it mercilessly.

Arista held a jar of spiders in her hand. She had moved it into the crook of her arm to keep it from falling. She wanted payback at Brooklyn and though she was getting back at him the whole week she wanted to make him suffer just as much as she had.

Over the week he'd wanted her to wash his clothes so she'd borrowed pink and yellow food colouring so all his clothes turned out tie-die. He still had yet to see them. She snickered, and she'd borrowed itching powder and put it in his drawers so whatever he put in there and took out would itch like hell.

She'd put little bits of leftover food and put it into his book bag where he wouldn't find it. She'd sewn on logo's with Miyami's help that said 'I'm gay', 'Kick me', and other stuff onto his jacket. Arista had also taken the liberty to mix garlic powder into his shampoo and spritz some oil in it.

Right now she was planning to put spiders in his bed and let loose a snake in his room. Oh the joys were endless. It had been a week since she'd lost the bet. This wasn't so bad after all. Things were defiantly looking up for her and the grey cloud that hung over her head had drifted away day by day. Right now she was sailing through sunny skies. And with Giancarlo on vacation she was almost as happy as could be.

Too bad things between Kai and Amber hadn't worked out. She thought. They weren't even talking to each other now. They just passed each other, ignoring. Blocking each other out completely. It was sort of boring she admitted. Before they argued and yelled at each other, always creating a scene. Now they were just sullen and all because Kai's ego was the size of North America.

"Okay, which one is his bed?" Shahero knocked Arista back to the present.

"Uhm, It's that one. The corner one. The other one is Hitoshi's."

"Really? Is he afraid of snakes?"

"Why?" Arista eyed the blunette. "You can't! Shahero! We have to get Dicklyn first, and then you get Hito's bed."

Shahero kept her gaze on the unmade bed, grinning. Arista punched her shoulder lightly so that Sen had to rub at it. She held onto the box with one hand and used her other to rub at her shoulder.

The snakes' head popped out and it slithered halfway out. Arista noticed and grabbed it's long green body and shoved it back in. Shahero closed the lid with Arista's hand still in it. The Russian yelped in pain as two fangs made their way into her skin. Shahero dropped the box and Arista dropped the jar of spiders. It didn't shatter thanks to Shahero who caught it.

The snake dangled from Arista's wrist, she yanked at it but that only made it worse. The snakes' fangs sank in deeper. Arista hissed in pain; she yelled and finally pulled out the snake. It wiggled on the floor, slithering in a almost painful manner. One fang was sunk into her wrist while the other was dangling from the snakes' mouth.

Shahero watched her, and looked down at her own grazed wrist. She rubbed at it; it was red and swelling slightly. Shahero set the jar on the floor and ran her fingers feather-light over Arista's hand and wrist. A sharp intake of air flooded the silver haired females' lungs. Her breath hitched in her throat.

"Aah..." She groaned. Shahero put her finger to the fang. It was covered in blood and dripping on to the carpet and their clothes. They were crouched down on the floor on their knees. She fingered the fang again, and started to pull at it.

"Stop it Senny, you're hurting me."

"I'm not trying to. I'm trying to get it out of you. Hold still, will ya?" Shahero tugged at Arista's arm.

"No! Because it hurts and it'll hurt more if you pull a---Stop!" She yelled because Shahero was set at pulling it out. She slapped away at her hand and moved back.

"If I want to kill myself I'll let you know, then you can pull it out for me!" Arista said sort of angrily. She fingered the fang protruding from the outside of her palm. Shahero picked up the snake from the tail and slammed it into the box closing the lid afterwards. She huffed and glared at it annoyed.

The door opened and in stepped Brooklyn. He dropped his bag at the door after closing it, then surveyed the two females sitting in the centre of the room. He glanced from Shahero to Arista to the jar of spiders back to Arista.

"Okay, now I'm feeling suicidal. You can kill me all you want." Arista held out her hand to Shahero. Blood oozed from the wound and splashed everywhere.

Shahero opened her mouth but Brooklyn beat her to it.

"Shit, Belyaev! What the hell happened?!" Worry was evident in his voice. He walked to them and kneeled down. He took a hold of her hand. His icy fingers trailed the fang to her wrist.

Shahero growled. "Don't worry Brooky-baby. She's fine, now, let me work my magick." She took a hold of Arista's hand as well.

"What happened?" Brooklyn looked up to meet Arista's gaze. He lowered it again and glanced at Shahero's hand. He trailed a finger over the red swell.

Arista's mouth opened and closed in a funny manner. She didn't know what to say or how to respond. What could she say anyways? '_Oh, I'm fine. This fang here belongs to a snake in that box behind Shahero. I was planning on setting it loose in your dorm but I guess it had other plans. I have a jar of spiders too, I'm putting those in your bed_.'

Brooklyn looked up at her, waiting for an explanation. Arista just imitated a fish expression, which was of no help. Shahero opened her mouth but he beat her again.

"Okay, since none of you will explain I'm going to assume you have a snake somewhere in here. It bit you and one of the fangs got left behind. Am I right? Or you have a fetish with sharp pointed objects..."

Shahero growled. "I was going to explain but you can assume whatever you want now because you won't let me talk anyways."

Brooklyn slapped away her hand and examined the Russians' wrist. "Here, let me take it out."

"What? Are you out of your fucking mind?" Arista squirmed away from him and moved back a few feet. He moved towards her, pushing her against the wall.

"I'm trying to help you."

"Well, what if I don't want your help? Huh? What are you going to do then?" She sneered and narrowed her eyes.

"I'm going to take it out anyways." He replied simply.

Shahero just sat back and watched because she was smart enough to not get involved.

"Who died and made you a doctor?"

"Me. Now sit and stop moving."

"No! You're not the boss of me! I can do what I want, when I want. Right now I want you to stop _helping_ me." She slapped at him again with her good hand.

"I own you, so sit still. You still have seven days left. Damn it, Belyaev!" He yelled.

Arista being stubborn shoved him back and getting up started to walk away from him. She picked up the jar of spiders from the floor and exited the room. Shahero followed her along with Brooklyn trailing behind.

Arista started to run down the hallway, but Shahero caught up to her and stopped her.

"Arista, you have to get that thing out of you. It could be poisonous you know." Worry was clear in her voice.

Arista sighed and nodded. "You have to get something for you too. Promise?" She held out her pinkie finger.

Shahero stared at it, then linked her pinkie with Arista's. "Promise. Let's go."

"Wait." Brooklyn called out, but his plea fell to deaf ears.

* * *

"How am I supposed to play with a fucking bandage on my arm?"

Shahero was skulking about in the change room. Arista sat on the bench colouring in a book. It was a colouring book and she was colouring it in with Crayola markers. She smiled and held up the finished picture to show off to Shahero.

"Look, isn't it nice?"

Shahero viewed the picture, it was messily coloured in, there were parts that went over the lines. It was really messy and not very nice to look at.

Shahero smirked. "What happened to it?"

"Har har. I'm serious, anyways I can't colour because of the fucking stitches and bandages. I'm left handed."

Arista held up her left hand for emphasis. It was lightly bandages in white cloth, making it hard to moved her hand around. Her right hand was perfectly fine though.

"I know. I just like to poke fun at others."

"Like yourself? You could because you look scary enough." Hitoshi's head appeared in full view through the door of the room.

"Fuck you." Shahero turned around away from his grinning face. She didn't want to admit it but he was definite eye-candy. She would just ignore that until she was ready to face it. Until she was ready to get over Brent cheating on her.

"Not enough time." He smirked wickedly. "We're starting practise, and coach sent me to get you."

"Are you sure you didn't volunteer?" Arista snickered.

Shahero rolled her eyes. And fumbled with the clasp on her helmet. When she couldn't get it closed Hitoshi stepped in and closed it for her. He stared into her blue eyes.

Shahero's legs seemed to get all jelly like when he looked at her like that.

"Don't you two look all comfortable."

"You have got to be kidding me."

Shahero narrowed her eyes and walked away from him. She stuck her tongue out at Arista and exited the change room.

Hitoshi turned to Arista. "You just have to ruin everything, don't you?"

"Yeah. It's my full time job. Now where did the tooth fairy get to with my money?"

He groaned and left the room after mussing up her hair.

"Screw you too." Arista called out after him, but all she hear was the sound of the closing door.

Since she didn't want to watch the practise she decided she would colour some more until they came back. She coloured in two more pages when the idea hit her. Brooklyn was out there on the rink. His dorm was empty. No one would know if she went in. She still had the spiders in her dorm. No one would know if she even left the arena. She smirked.

"God bless my brain."

She snickered and shot out the door like a gun. She kept running down the hallways, up the stairs, down another hallway until she made it to her dorm. She opened the door and grabbed a jar off her dresser drawer. She pulled a packet of safety pins too.

Arista bolted down out of her room and down the hall. She sucked in air through her nose, and just to be sure no one was in the dorm she knocked first. She heard no answer and made her way in.

Empty. Good, that was what she'd wanted. She made her way over to Brooklyn's bed and pulled back the covers and the comforter.

She opened the lid of the jar of spiders. One of them had died and there were several small spider webs clinging to the sides of the glass jar. She slid her hand in and plucked out a small black spider. She replaced the lid back on the jar and set it aside.

She reached into the black pillow cover and was careful not to kill the insect when she slipped it inside. She did the side with the safety pins she'd grabbed from her room. She grinned and reset the pillow down on the bed. She slipped another spider under the sheets and folded them down so that it couldn't escape.

There was the dead spider and another one spinning a web. She plucked out the web and spider together. She left this one under the comforter and smirked. That would show him. No one was the boss of Arista Dymitri Belyaev. She wiped her hand on the side of her skirt and closed the lid.

Mission accomplished.

She casually walked out the door and down the stairs. She'd left the spider jar in the stairs to save her a trip to her dorm. She was tired and walked sluggishly down the stairs and into the kitchens.

No one was in there so she decided to knick some food. She walked in and made her way to the iron door. She pulled on the iced handle. Her hand stuck to it. She used her bandaged hand to pull at her cold hand.

Somehow through it the door opened. She stuck her foot in between the door and the wall so she wouldn't get locked inside. After flicking on the light, Arista reached in and grabbed at a box of Popsicles. She pulled out a rainbow coloured one wrapped in plastic wrap.

She held on to it and put the box away. Smiling she unwrapped it and put it in her mouth. She opened her mouth to find her tongue stuck to it. She pulled at it but it was no use.

"Thath wilth teash mee."

Arista fumbled to hold on to the Popsicle, while her other hand was splashing water at her mouth from the tap. It came loose from her mouth, and she sighed in relief. She ran her tongue over her teeth and shivered.

Arista walked out of the kitchens and back into the change room. She glanced at the clock and noticed that only thirty-three minutes went by.

She decided that she would watch the rest of practise. There was only around ten minutes left anyways. She sucked her Popsicle and watched her former team-mates skate around the ice, doing laps.

She could see Hitoshi right behind Shahero, she smirked. He had it bad for her and she didn't even know. Or she did and pretended not to notice. Or maybe she just didn't care. Or, Arista thought sceptically, she liked him too but didn't know it. Maybe she needed more time to get over Brent. Yeah that made sense. Shahero hadn't seen anyone since she'd broke up with Brent. Or could you call it that since he cheated on her and then tried to rape her.

Being Shahero she hadn't gone to the police about it and had just beaten the crap out of Brent instead. With unnecessary help from her friends.

On the ice Shahero slammed her hockey stick behind her in between Hitoshi's feet causing him to trip over. He banged his helmeted head onto the floor and groaned. She was fiery. He would give her that, but she would see it is way soon enough. Besides she'd even started flirting with him. She just didn't realize it.

He grinned and got up going after her again. He sped up and skated circled around her. Shahero roughed him and moved in front of him. She sped past Amber, Tala, Ian, Aspin and everyone else who'd been in front of her.

She looked behind her for Hitoshi, but she couldn't see him.

His voice spoke from in front of her. "Looking for someone?"

"No, I'm looking for bug repellent though. There's a bug in front of me that won't go away. They just seem to be around everywhere."

That only made his grin wider. "Yeah? I've heard about it, haven't seen any myself." He was skating backwards now. "Oh, wait. I think I see one now." He patted her head. "It's you."

"Don't I feel special." She muttered under her breath. Then she checked him into the boards and sped up in front of him.

"Two can play at that game."

Hitoshi skated rapidly; closing the gap between himself and Shahero. He was skating so fast he didn't know she'd stopped and was talking to Arista at the sidelines.

He bumped straight into her, not stopping in time. Shahero felt the wind whoosh out of her lungs while she got knocked to the cool hard ice. She landed on her side, her injured hand underneath her and Hitoshi on top of her. She groaned and yelped when she felt the needle pinpricks of pain in her hand.

"Oh, fuck it. Geroff me, damn it!"

"No. I rather like the position we're in."

"Yeah, you could take her right here, right now." Brooklyn piped up from behind them. He had seen it all coming and snickered at the females misfortune.

"Shut it, Dicklyn." Arista snapped at him.

He looked over the bandage on her hand, but didn't say anything.

"What are you guys doing?" Tala swerved around the bodies, and stood in front of them. "You can't have it here on the ice. It's too cold. Do it somewhere else."

"We're not! So just shut the fuck up!" Shahero struggled under the weight of the heavier male. She propped herself on her elbows because he was straddling her hips.

"You," She poked him hard in the chest with her good hand, "probably broke my wrist." She held up the lightly bandaged hand, which had swelled at least half it's normal size for emphasis. "Now get off me or I'll have to hurt you."

"I'd like to see you try." He replied arrogantly. She opened her mouth to speak but she was cut off. "Shut up." Hitoshi said calmly.

She rolled her eyes. "Makeme."

"Gladly." He lowered his head, but was pulled back by Miyami, and Amber.

"Hey!" He yelled, he was thrown to his back and slid a few feet farther. "What did you do that for?"

"Because you're crushing her lungs and esophagus."

"I didn't know you knew such big words." Kai said lightly in Ambers direction.

"I know a lot more, but my fists talk better than I do." She stepped into a fighters position, and balled her fists.

He raised his eyebrow mockingly.

"What? You haven't said one word to me all week, didn't accept my apology and now you wanna fight?"

"Amber." Johnny placed his hands on her shoulders. "Kai, you know it was an accident."

"Yeah." Miyami agreed. "She didn't even know we were going to be there."

"Uh-huh. She was too busy trying to kill me to get a shot in at you purposely." Ian deadpanned.

"I wasn't exactly finished with you. Are you saying you want another round?" Amber snapped her gaze to meet the dark one of Ian's.

"I can breathe again." Shahero spoke up, she coughed a bit for drama, then regained her composure, stood up.

"Yeah, I thought we might have to do mouth to mouth on you. God knows that that's more painful than getting beaten up." Kane snickered and leaned on the sedge of the boards.

Miyami clucked her tongue. "If it was you I don't know who'd want to because you must eat garlic for breakfast, lunch, and dinner."

Kane hissed. "I vant to suck your blood." He bared his teeth and made his way to Miyami's neck.

"Oi, suck Aspin's neck instead!" Amber led him towards the purple haired female. Kai watched her and inwardly groaned. He wanted to believe so badly that she'd really meant it that she was sorry. It just didn't look that way, and he didn't trust his gut feeling.

Shahero laughed. "He's not the only vampire." Hitoshi picked his prey and bared his teeth as well.

"Oh yeah? Suck this!" In one swift movement Shahero had grabbed Arista's half-eaten Popsicle and shoved it into Hitoshi's mouth.

"Hey! I was going to eat that!" Arista protested. "Great, and now it's all gone to waste." She grumbled as purple slush fell to the floor.

"Yeah, this is all fun and games until we have a match." Coach Carson skated towards his team. "I want five more laps from all of you. Oh! Arista, I need to speak with you about something I overheard."

Arista groaned. When he used that tone of voice he was either upset, disappointed or dead serious. Right now she wanted to crawl in a hole and bury herself alive.

* * *

_Thanks to:_

_StarAngel Caelum SunSoar, Gems, Alexis: Digital Survivor, ChibiKai02, Ayuka-chan, ButterCup, Anonymous, and unknown._

_Ja Mata, Arcada!_


	6. Chapter 05: Reflection of Self

13 Shades of Grey

Chapter 05: Reflection of Self

Disclaimer: Ruin belongs to Zadien.

Chapter five for ya. Read and review please. Zeo is explained at Firdays' assembly. He's in Tyson's year but he had a few classes in advanced. Uhm, Ruins back! I hope you all like it.

* * *

Carson wasn't happy. If the rumour he'd heard was true, then Arista had lied to him. He didn't tolerate liars. It was betraying his trust and betraying his trust was a big thing. And didn't Arista know it.

She breathed in and out slowly. It was like she had a itch but no cure. Brooklyn would always get to her no matter what. She knew what this was about, what he wanted to talk about. No matter how much she denied it, she knew what Coach wanted to talk about.

She knew but she wasn't going to admit to anything. She would deny everything and lie if she had to. But she's lied enough because he looked disappointed. And that was what was getting to her. She hated disappointing people; she couldn't stand it because to her it felt like a reflection of self. And it wasn't a good one. She shook her head and followed behind him, thinking about how much trouble she'd be in.

He slowed to a stop, and sat on a bench at the side of the arena. Arista sat beside him, but at a little distance so she wouldn't have to face him. He turned to her and ran his hands through his short copper-cropped hair. His green eyes alight, landing on her face. She was staring at the ceiling as if it were actually interesting.

"Arista?"

She stared at the ceiling a but longer. She could make out shapes and patterns. Sort of resembling a cross-hatching. She lolled her head on her shoulder, and stared with her dark blue eyes. They shone and amber flecks were visible.

"Why did you leave the team?"

She froze, she knew it would happen eventually. But she didn't want to deal with it. She wasn't ready to. She looked at her sneaker-covered shoes. She sighed and ran her left foot over a crack in the lino.

"...I quit because...'Cause I was failing math."

"I talked to your teacher, she said you have a seventy-three grade average. I hardly call that a fail."

She recognized the tone of his voice. He was disappointed, and angry? She didn't want to upset him because she respected him too much to lie to him again.

She turned abruptly and locked her gaze on his watch. The seconds ticked by. She opened her mouth and closed it again. Arista ran her tongue around her teeth and sucked in air and courage.

"I lost a bet."

It was barely audible but he heard it. A bet. Yeah, that was what he'd heard. His eyes narrowed the slightest. He didn't say anything. He would wait for her to confess all.

"I...It was stupid. I'm stupid..." She rested her hands on her jeans and lowered her head. "Stupid, stupid, stupid." She repeated it in her head. Her fingers tightened around her knees until her knuckles were white. Bangs overshadowed her face, making it impossible to tell what she was feeling.

"No, you're not." He sated sternly.

"No. You don't---You don't get it. I'm not...I can't play for two months. That's all, I don't want to leave. I just want to take a break."

He sighed. This wasn't what he'd been expecting. He didn't want her to leave, or take a break because compared to Mariah she was number one goalie. And their exhibition game was just a week away.

"Arista, why can't you just stay on the team? If you just leave like this, then you might not be able to come back on." He reached out a hand and put it on her shoulder.

Realization sunk in Arista's head. She bit her tongue to keep from losing grip on her reality. A trickle of blood coated her bottom teeth.

"I, you, you can't do that. I don't want to, I have to. It's not a choice. Don't you understand? I thought you'd understand..." Arista shrugged her shoulder to wave off his hand. She moved farther down the bench.

"I don't make the rules here, you know that. And I do understand, I---"

"Two weeks." She held up her bandaged hand. "Two weeks until the stitches get out. Just two weeks okay? Please?"

Carson opened his mouth but she'd spoken before he could. "I need to pee."

She walked away from him then when she'd left the arena she started at a run.

Arista ran until she was in the first floor girls' washroom. She leaned against the wall until she slid to the floor. She let her head fall onto her knees and hugged herself. What was she supposed to do now?

Pride. A five-letter word but it had more than a five-letter meaning. She had guts, _and_ pride. The problem was, which one did she have more of?

* * *

Monday morning came with rain and sleet. The weekend had passed by quickly enough. Arista and Miyami had sewn pillow covers for their Home Ec. projects. They were supposed to make pillowcases and then go out this coming weekend to fill them up with shower and hygiene crap. It was worth five per cent of their final mark, in the end they would donate the loaded pillowcases to a homeless shelter.

Arista had sewn on stars and striped made of felt to decorate hers. Miyami had made hers plain and then gotten other students to sign it saying random stuff. The rest of the Saturday was spent buying candy from in town. Arista had gotten and extra large supply of pixie sticks. She'd once compared Amber to an Pixie. Amber said that when she grew wings and had pointed ears that she could call her a pixie. Arista had replied by saying that she didn't need wings and pointed ears, she was funny looking as it was.

Amber had replied with something rude, to which they'd had a fight. But the day after they'd made up and apologized. Every time Arista bought the sugar sticks she was reminded of her loud mouth and opinions. She laughed every time she remembered this. To her it seemed funny.

Maybe not to Amber. On Sunday Arista had stayed in her dorm all day pretending to be sick because she was avoiding Brooklyn like the plague. She didn't want to see him because she knew she would explode at him. She needed time to think about how to persuade him about changing his mind and letting her play again. Or after two weeks anyways. She could barely hold a crayon in her hand much less a hockey stick.

Sonia had brought her lunch that had consisted of lasagne and grape juice. Arista had said she was fine because she still had an indefinite supply of sugar under her mattress. Sonia had left saying she was meeting up with Ozuma to plan out the school dance. She was Head girl and he was Head boy. This reminded her of Harry Potter.

All afternoon she'd ignored pretty much everyone else too. Rei had come in to check up on her. She'd talked to him, but hadn't told him everything that was on her mind. It wasn't lying because she'd told the truth. It was just not telling the whole truth.

Miyami had also checked up on her, she'd just come back from getting her ears pierced again, her hands were full of shopping bags. Her wallet was no doubt empty. Shahero and Amber had gone with Tala and Johnny to film a movie. They'd gone to the Skate Park so they could film Shahero skateboarding and Amber rollarblading all around the ramps and set-ups. It was part of a film contest going on at Vaughn Academy.

Ian had come in to prank them back for the Itching powder. Arista hadn't noticed him because she was too busy sleeping. He'd wanted revenge so he'd put itching powder in Arista's bed and in her clothes. She was a light sleeper but she must have taken a pill because he had tripped over a pile of clothes on the floor and she hadn't even stirred.

Now Arista was sitting in English class, fourth period, and she was itching like crazy. She scratched at her arms and legs. A few of her classmates were staring at her. She stared back and kept scratching. She was scratching so hard she had peeled her skin in a few places revealing blood. Leaving behind small scars. She groaned and started to rub her skin instead so that it wouldn't peel anymore.

She looked at her arm, stretched it out. She'd thrown off her school jacket and hung it on the back of her chair. She rolled down her socks until they were just rolls of baggy cloth at her ankles. Her black and silver sneakers were tied loosely and almost fell every time she took a step. She decided to just take them off, she was seated at the back near an open window. She had two whole desks to herself because her classmates assumed Ian had gotten her back.

Arista sighed and hit her head on the top of her desk. When she looked up she saw a teal haired boy sitting next to her.

She vaguely remembered Shahero describing someone who fitted his profile with her in detention.

He smiled at her. She stared back expressionless. "Hi, I'm Zeo."

"Yeah. I'm Arista. Nice to meet ya." She stuck out her hand and grinned.

He clasped her warm hand and smiled again. She was pretty he decided. Her silver hair was swung into a low ponytail at the back of her head. Bangs fluttered and hung over her forehead. She had a small cute nose, and small lips. Her cheeks were flushed a light shade of red.

She looked away from him and scratched at her arms again. He continued to look at her, she noticed him out of the corer of her eye.

"What?" She asked impatiently. He quirked a brow at her. "I mean what are you staring at?"

"The spider in your hair." He replied casually and turned towards the front.

She narrowed her eyes, and scowled. "Yeah, and pigs can fly."

Her gaze tore to the door and she saw Tyson jumping. Hillary was behind him with a tennis racket hitting him. She hit his behind and he yelped jumping up, he flailed his arms giving the impression he was flying.

"Correction, pigs can fly." Arista muttered under her breath. Zeo didn't seem to notice. She shrugged one shoulder and watched Hillary leave after tripping Tyson on the floor.

"Oh man, she is difficult. She needs to take a chill pill."

Arista smirked. Tyson made his way towards the back near Arista. He grabbed an empty chair from the stack at the back an set it down in front of Arista's desk.

He pulled out a packet of gum and slipped a piece in his mouth. He offered one to Arista who took it, Zeo refused with a 'No thanks'.

"Your loss."

"What did you do now Ty-Ty?" Arista asked her cousin. She was related to him because of her relationship to Miyami.

"I didn't do anything."

"He put fake spiders in her locker." Zeo replied smirking smugly.

"You know him?" Arista pointed towards Tyson.

"Yeah. He and I are friends."

"Zeo meet Arista, Arista meet---Arista, what are you doing?"

Tyson stared in bafflement as Arista scratched violently at her arm, and over her bandaged hand.

"I'm feeling myself. What does it look like?"

Tyson rolled his eyes. "Amber's the Queen of Sarcasm. Why don't you be a princess or something?'

"Because then I'd be her daughter. Which is wrong because it just is. Amber with a kid is wrong. She's a kid herself. I'm a _self proclaimed _Queen of Sarcasm."

"You should stick with Queen of Misunderstanding. Or better yet Queen of Shit, because that's what you look like right now."

Arista didn't even look back to know who it was but Brooklyn. Turning around she rolled her eyes and didn't say anything. She stuck up her middle finger.

He persisted. "What's the matter? Are you all tongue-tied?"

"I am _now_ from biting back vomit from having seen your face."

He brushed off the comment. Good, she was still talking to him. He thought she'd died because he hadn't seen her all weekend. He wanted to get back at her for putting the spiders in his bed. How she'd done it without him finding out was beyond him. She'd done a lot of pranks and it had infuriated him because he couldn't stop her. It was seriously staring to get him pissed.

"How come your wearing pink?" Tyson asked, pointing to Brooklyn's semi-rose pink shirt. Arista snickered. Another one of her master plans.

"How come you're here?" He replied back snidely. Tyson was a junior so why was he in senior English class he didn't know. Neither did her care.

"I'm leaving. I was just making sure Hillary left so I could get away safely."

"Scared of a girl, Kinomiya?"

"Hillary isn't a girl. She's a---a he-she. And she has her period 24/7."

Arista snorted. "That's like a walking talking...Brooklyn!" She snickered and stopped hacking away with her fingers at her skin for a few seconds.

Brooklyn sneered at the back of her silver head and growled. Beside her a teal coloured kid he didn't recognize chuckled along.

Childishly he flicked balls of paper at Arista through class. And constantly tapped at her chair. She didn't seem to notice because she was scratching away at her skin, either that or she ignore him.

"Mr. London? Can I leave class early because I can't stop itching. I swear Ian Petrovich did it. I saw him come into my dorm yesterday but I was to sleepy to care. Can I be excused? I think he put Itching powder in my clothes because I put it in his d..."

She stopped mid sentence and cursed herself. "Fuckity fuck." She clasped her hands over her mouth and sighed. Mr. London was lost for words, he opened a drawer from his desk and pulled out a pink slip. He scribbled something on it and handed it to Arista as she walked up to his desk. She stared at the ceiling and leered at it.

"This is all your fault." She shook her fist and ran out of the door.

"Can I be excused?" Brooklyn asked from the back of the class.

London raised and eyebrow. "What for?"

"I have a meeting with a career counsellor." London bought it and nodded his head.

Brooklyn knew if he wanted to talk to Arista he would have to do it now. He got up and walked out the door of the classroom.

Zeo watched them both leave wondering if the redhead was really going to go to a career counsellor. He doubted it.

* * *

Amber cleared her throat. Lately it was getting harder for her to talk. She hadn't eaten anything since lunch and that was only water and ramen noodles. She sighed and rubbed at her throat. If this kept up she would lose her voice. Amber ran down the hallway towards the water fountain and gulped in water to her parched throat.

It felt cool and good against her warming insides. A few droplets spattered to the floor. She ignored that and took another drink of water. When she was done she made her way to the library with hopes of getting her history paper finished. It was on Julius Caesar. They did everything the same every year except more in depth, larger amounts or homework, and elaborated on detail. Plus there were more courses added to their options.

Amber wasn't happy. Why? Because she hadn't said anything to Kai. It was getting her all riled up that he wouldn't accept her apology all because he had too much fucking pride. His ego was the size of North America if he thought she hadn't meant it. She did, she was sorry from her heart because in all honestly she didn't mean to hurt him. And it would have never been to break his nose. She screwed up her eyes, and shook her head.

She felt shitty and all because Kai was being an asshole. If they were friends it would have been different. But they were anything but friends. Enemies made perfect sense. But she was tired of it. Tired of always fighting with him and tired of acting like she hated him. She wanted to be his friend because then she and Tala and Kai could all be comfortable around each other.

Tala and Kai were best friends, just like Amber and Tala. It wasn't fair that Kai could just come and steal him away. This was Tala. She and him had bathed together. They'd known each other since they were babies. They'd learned how to crawl together.

And she missed him. Even though Tala was always beside her, and always with her she still missed him. Didn't that sound psychotic. How could you miss someone so much when they were right beside you?

She continued towards the library contemplating on her thoughts. She wanted to just go to someone and tell them all her problems. But who could she tell? She didn't want to talk. How could she without a voice? At least that was what it felt like because her throat was hoarse and she could hardly string together three words.

If she just pushed these thoughts in a corner of her mind, she wouldn't have to think about it, she mused. She could just let things cool off for another few days. That usually helped. It was her best chance anyways. She really wanted to spend more time with Tala, but lately she'd been holding out on her best friend because of Kai.

Amber eyes narrowed. She sucked in air through her teeth and slumped her shoulders. Maybe locking this away would be much better than thinking about it. Ignoring it would help her because she didn't know what to make of the situation anyways.

She opened the double doors leading into the library and stepped in.

It was nearly empty when she went inside. She deliberately made her way towards the back and sat down at an empty table. A few tables away from her a teacher was printing out something from a computer. There was a scanner, and a photocopier off to the side.

Amber grinned and looked around in her school bag for the picture that Miyami had drawn. She found it and smoothed it out, the edges and corners were somewhat flat now. She ran her hands on it, then walked over to the photocopier and lifted the top. She slid the paper under it and pushed a few command buttons on the panel at the side. It was large and grey.

Paper started to come out from the side of the machine. Amber moved around it and looked over the newly printed pages. Ian was going to get it for putting such a disgusting image in her head. She snickered and put it down.

Behind her someone tapped her shoulder. Amber turned around an excuse already in her head to why she was copying pages and pages of a drawing. She opened her mouth but no sound came out. She stared at a female a few inches taller than her.

She had short black hair that rested a few centimetres above her shoulders. Black bangs were choppily clouded over chocolate brown eyes. Streaks of red and blue adorned her hair. There was a gem under her left eyebrow and one on her left nostril. She was wearing the school uniform, along with black combat boots. Her tie was strung around her waist, and hung down to mid thigh. Her black tartan skirt was longer the regulation going just past her kneecaps. The first two buttons on her white button down shirt were undone, and a black tank top was visible underneath.

Her lips were coated with black, and her eyes were surrounded with black as well. Amber couldn't believe her eyes. She blinked a few times and rubbed her tired eyes.

She swallowed, her lips rose into a curve. Her throat itched, but she didn't care. Instinctively she launched a hug around the other female, holding tightly afraid she would disappear into mist, or worse that this was only a dream.

Ruin grinned and hugged her best friend. It felt good to be back. Two months was a long time. Too long to realize that she couldn't live without Amber in her life. Too long to realise that she needed her friends. She had only gone away to see if she could go on without them. That was a bust because she'd found out she needed her friends there. And, she closed her eyes, she needed Tala.

Behind them, the photocopier buzzed signalling it was out of paper. Amber smiled and laughed. She let go of Ruin and took in a deep breath.

* * *

Brooklyn easily caught up to Arista in the hallway. There was a class walking down and into a classroom. Other than that it was empty.

Arista sidestepped. She growled when he sidestepped closer to her.

"What do you want?"

"You really want to know? Okay, I want you to stop fucking ruining everything of mine!"

"And why should I stop? Because you want me to? I don't think so, Ginger."

Brooklyn narrowed his eyes. "Ginger?"

"You hair is red, and beside it suits you better because there is actually a city named Brooklyn, and your name shouldn't be that anyway. Ginger suits you better."

"And how long did it take you to come up with that?" He sneered.

She ignored him, and walked quicker. "What do you want besides what you said before?" She stopped and turned around waiting for an answer. She scratched at her arms again.

He rolled his eyes. "Stop that. You'll ruin your skin."

"And why do you care?" She shot back not looking up.

"I don't." He replied automatically.

"So stop telling me what to do, then."

"You have such a bad memory."

She looked up and practically radiated anger. His eyes locked on hers amusedly.

"And you have such stinky breath. Get a breath mint. Or better yet get a whole pack of them." She started her way downstairs after opening the stairs door and walking in. He followed her and stopped her by blocking her way down.

He stopped and breathed in air in front of her. Then breathed out in front of her face. It smelled like vanilla cream. She stared at him confusedly, and raised and eyebrow.

"What are you doing?"

"You said I needed a breath mint, do you still think so?"

"Ah, I don't know and I don't care."

"So what did it smell like?"

"Vanilla cream or something." Her stomach rumbled. "Awe, I'm hungry. It's all your fault. I want pie now. Ugh, move out of my way. I have to go to the office and get lectured."

Brooklyn smirked. She didn't even realize the worth of what she'd said. He'd get back at her, and he would hurt her. He would enjoy it too. He walked down the rest of the stairs after her. She had already disappeared down the hall and into the principals office. He'd wait for her to come out.

* * *

umi n secylia: I'm updating now. :P I'm glad you like it. Thanks for the review, hun.

twerp: Hey. That's okay, I'm happy that you reviewed though. I get lazy sometimes too, with updating and everything so I don't mind. Enjoy

Danslespommes: I love writing the practical jokes, seriously. It's all Gems' fault. She started all of it. I feel all warm inside knowing that you like my writing. And there should be more of Johnny. I'll add more of him.

anonymous: Hi! Glad you loved it. I updated!

unknown: I love reviews and I'm really happy you like my writing. Do you have any fics up?

Shaedowe: Hello. I'm glad you like it. Here's what the coach wants, read and review please.

StarAngel Caelum SunSoar: Hiya, I'm glad you like it too. Don't worry I'll keep writing because I want to and because I like to. Thanks for the review.

Alexis : Digital Survivor: Read and see if she does. Aww, your reviews are really nice. Yeah, but it had to be done. I got bit by a snake once, cept it wasn't poisonous or anything and my hand didn't swell.

Thank you all for reviewing, without you there would never be updates. So until next time.

Hasta, Arcada!


	7. Chapter 06: One Step Closer

13 Shades of Grey

Chapter 04: One Step Closer

-O-

Mr. Gerro lectured Arista for only five minutes because he had a board meeting to discuss. She was glad it wasn't long because listening to him was like listening to a staticky radio station you just couldn't tune out. It was boring to say the least. And he always spoke in a monotone.

She would have fallen asleep right there and then but that would only get her another week's worth of detentions. She already had a week with London because of her big mouth. Someone down there in Hell must like me, she thought to herself. As soon as Gerro left she slowly walked out the door, scuffing her shoes on the waxed tiled floor to get skid marks on it. She grinned when she saw at least three black marks streaking after her footsteps.

"I stand corrected. Someone down there in Hell must _love_ me." She spotted Brooklyn waiting for her in the hallway outside the office doors. The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. "What do you want now?"

"To talk."

"We've been through that already."

"Just listen."

"And why should I?"

She sneered at him and started walking. He walked alongside her.

"Why do you do me this?" She threw up her hands exasperated, and cursed. "Blast it. You won't go away will you?" She eyed him and frowned. She slowed to a stop.

"Like I said, to talk."

"Okay. Fine."

She walked out the front doors to the school and sat down on the steps leading inside. He sat as close as he possibly could, causing much discomfort to the Russian female.

"What do you want to 'talk' about?"

He stared at the green, green grass still covering the ground. "I---"

"Wait! I have to ask you something."

He raised an eyebrow and stared at her in mock interest.

"I... Can we work out and agreement so that in two weeks I can play hockey again? On the team, I mean."

Perfect opportunity, he grinned. "And why would I do that?"

"I only have four days left, so it doesn't matter." Then she added, "does it?"

He wanted to shout for joy because she was just setting herself up. "Yeah it fucking does." He watched her eyes narrow, something in them glinted. "It matters a lot."

"Then I guess I have nothing to talk about." She stood up briskly and turned around.

He held on to her wrist so she couldn't get away. "I could make a trade though."

Arista opened her mouth to retort something but she shut it knowing it would only make him reconsider his offer if she did. "What?" She said instead. She shrugged out of his grip, and sat down again, though farther away from where she was originally sitting.

"If you want to play in two weeks, you owe me two more weeks of servitude."

Arista's mouth fell open, and her jaw was stretched out so that it hung down.

I could stuff a gobstopper or a jawbreaker in there. Brooklyn snickered at the thought.

He tapped his finger and closed it for her.

"I---You---I don't...want...I mean, I want to play hockey." She thought about what he'd just said. "You can't really mean that..." She looked at him and held his bluish eyes with hers.

She looked so childlike, her eyes wide. He had a sudden urge to pat her head and tell her it would all get better. He narrowed his eyes and looked away.

She turned away and looked at her shoes. They were scuffed at the sides and were smeared in mud and dirt. Her eyes saddened.

"I can't." She squeaked. "I give up." She raised her knees and hugged them. Arista winced when pain pricked her left hand.

She loosened her grip and rocked back and forth. "I don't want to anymore...I quit. I don't care what you think or what anyone else thinks."

"You don't care what other people think anyways, why does it matter now?" He cocked his head back to look at her.

"You don't get it, you don't understand." He was making her angrier by the second until finally her sadness subsided for anger. She looked up at him in disgust. A scowl was plastered on her face. "Leave me alone. Just leave me the fuck alone."

He didn't know what to respond with so he just kept his mouth closed. Until another idea struck him.

"One week. And the four days you owe me too. Then everything will be normal again." He sighed and then added "I promise."

Confusion took a hold of Arista's eyes once again and she opened her mouth. "Okay. Fine. Deal. Whatever." She sat there and let silence slip in between her and Brooklyn. They heard a bell ring in the distance.

The school day was over for today. Arista got up and walked towards the school doors, she pulled at one but it didn't open. "Fucking door, why won't it open?"

"Because it's a push door, smartass."

She stuck her tongue out at him and folded her arms against her chest. "Kiss my ass."

"I would but you have none." He smirked and pushed at the door. She growled out in anger and annoyance.

"You're such an ass jack."

"You're a loud mouth that's temperamental."

"You're a freak of nature!"

He pushed at the door again but it didn't budge. "Why won't it fucking open?"

"It's stu... Wait, the doors automatically lock after three-thirty. Oh fuck, fuck, fuck. This is not my day."

"At least it's not raining." Brooklyn added sort of sympathetically.

Arista glared at him and heard a distant rumble of thunder. In a instant a downpour of rain had started. Arista started towards the back of the school. She looked up at mostly closed dorm windows. She saw and open one and looked around for a tree. Luckily the school had planted trees surrounding the back of the school.

She ran towards the tree, soaking wet. Brooklyn ran after her through the rain. His white shirt was already sopping wet and his black trousers were being whipped by the wind.

She started up the tree but had no luck because she was much too short to reach the first branch.

Brooklyn sighed and pulled her back. He put his hands together in a foothold and waited for her to climb up.

Arista's face was of disbelief. "I'm wearing a skirt." She stated.

"All the more reason to." He replied smirking.

"Yeah right!" She smacked him upside the head. She walked around him and jumped on his back. "Now climb." She commanded. She put her arms around his neck and held tightly.

Her wet clothes clung to him like glue. She started singing.

"Well, I don't know much. And I don't how. Why did she put me through such torture! I would have given my life for her! Now I'm alone sitting on the corner!" She sang at the top of her lungs. Brooklyn had to admit it sounded nice. Her Russian accent gave the song and edge.

He grabbed onto the first branch and started to climb up. Arista continued singing. "Well, I looked at her face. And then I knew she changed. My heart turned black and the sky turned grey! My heart turned black and then the sky turned grey!"

She continued to sing the parts she knew while Brooklyn climbed up the tree.

-O-

Miyami sat on her bed sewing up a pillowcase. She was sewing it for Shahero while she took a bath. It had a picture of a dragon artistically drawn on it, she accidentally pricked her finger and yelped in surprise. Her thoughts had run away with her again. And they were constantly on Johnny, the red-headed Scot. She sighed and went to the bathroom to get some toilet paper. She raised her silver brows at Shahero sitting on the floor. She had paper on her nose, trickling tiny red splotches.

"Are you ok?" She asked concerned.

"Yeah. I'm fine. I just slipped on the tiles."

Miyami surveyed the wet, soap covered floor. "It was like that when you went in?" She questioned.

"I don't know. I just go in, get wet, and come out. How am I supposed to know?"

"You mean you don't even wash yourself properly?" Hitoshi poked his head through the door way of the washroom.

Shahero was flustered and her breath was heavy. She was wearing a black tank top, and white boxer shorts with hockey sticks on them. Her blue hair was sopping wet, her sapphire eyes were narrowed in his direction. She pulled a sweatshirt from the clothes hamper and slipped it on because she felt oddly uncomfortable.

Her nose had stopped bleeding, but her face was a shade of deep red.

"At least I _take_ a bath." She shot back. "I don't know about anyone else, but you smell really bad."

"Yeah, while everyone else thinks I smell just fine."

"That's because everyone else doesn't know a bad smell if it's shoved up their nose!" She growled and walked out of the washroom. Miyami washed her hands and put a bandage on it. It was red and blue. Spider-Man 2 was written across it in black writing.

"Hey, I want one of those!" Arista ran into the washroom and looked around for the box of bandages.

"Where did you come from?" Shahero asked.

"My mom's vaginal region."

Hitoshi made a face. Shahero scrunched her nose.

Brooklyn walked exhaustedly into the room. "Belyaev, if we wanted to know about the birds and the bees then we'd go and ask an expert."

"Namely you." Miyami retorted.

"Fuck off." Arista bent down on all fours and fished around in the cabinets for the bandages. "Miyami!" She complained. "Where did you put them?"

Miyami threw the box from her hands behind her. "I don't have them."

Arista sat crossed legged on the bathroom floor and closed the cabinet doors. "Uhm, where are they?" Even though she already knew the answer she still asked.

Brooklyn smirked. He held the band-aid box in his hands. He shook it just to make sure it wasn't empty then stuffed it into his wet pants pocket.

Hitoshi watched Shahero brush out her hair. She was pulling it so hard, hair was sticking to the brush like fire spreading. He walked over and pulled it from her hands. "Sit." He commanded.

She rolled her eyes and sat down on the floor near the end of a bed. Hitoshi sat at the edge of the matt and ran the brush through her hair. He smoothed her hair back into it's silky mane. She growled loudly when he worked out an extremely stubborn tangle. She cursed him and punched at his leg.

He glowered at the top of her head, while he brushed her hair effortlessly. He ran his fingers through her hair. She moved away hesitantly. He pulled her back so that she was leaning against his legs, and held her there.

"Your hair smells good." He murmured into her ear. She fought the urge to laugh out loud because it was tickling her. Shahero bit her lip and shrugged her shoulders.

"Hitoshi, stop trying to eat Hero's hair." Arista said. She jumped on him, dripping water on him and Shahero. She was still wet from the rain outside.

The lights flashed on and off, thunder cackled and whipped in the distance.

"Give me the bandages." Arista struggled with Hitoshi for the box she knew he didn't have.

"I don't have it, Ari, get off me!"

Arista had latched herself on to his leg, Shahero had stepped back to watch the film, snickering every few seconds.

Hitoshi shook his leg. He was much taller than his cousin, she didn't even come up to his collar bone. "Get off."

"Incest?" Brooklyn's eyes had taken on a green tint. He scowled and then crossed his arms over his chest.

Arista let go off Hitoshi's leg like it had burned her skin. She narrowed her eyes, and scowled. She went into the washroom. She re emerged with a bucket of water.

"Don't you ever say anything like that again. I care about my family."

She dumped it over him and watched his reaction. It was freezing cold, he shivered and shook his damp hair. It stuck to his head and forehead.

-O-

Kai groaned and rubbed his nose. It had pretty much healed but it was still sore. Although his voice sounded slightly nasal, he was pretty much fine. Or at least he would be if Amber didn't consume every molecule of his brain.

Frustrated with himself because he couldn't stop thinking about her he slammed his fist on his thigh and ran a hand through his blue hair. He rubbed his face and lowered his body onto himself. Slate blue bangs overshadowed his eyes and most of his face.

He was sitting, leaning against the wall of the main boys change room on the first floor. He slid down to the floor, his body made contact with the lino of the identically tiled floor.

He remembered when he and Amber were little kids. He'd always help her and keep her safe from harm. She always smiled when she saw him, and he eyes lit up when he entered a room. Her eyes still lit up, only this time with anger or hatred. Now it was different. When her dad left she had started to blame him for that and everything else too.

It had saddened him and at first he didn't know why, then he'd understood why. She'd needed someone to yell and scream at because she didn't want to think it was her fault. Not that it was. Amber hadn't done anything to make her dad leave. She didn't want to think that, or perhaps she had and needed someone to blame instead of herself. Kai had never really quite figured it out.

She was complicated. But that was her. She was a jigsaw puzzle and half the pieces were missing. It wasn't fair, it just wasn't fucking fair.

Love.

It flashed like a lightening bolt in his brain. He loved her. Damn it, he knew that. He'd always had, just that now it was more than a sister figure kind of love. Hell, it had been since puberty had reared it's ugly head.

Kai frowned and shook his head. He closed his arms around his knees and drew himself together. Everything would be normal again when he went to collage. Only two years. Two bad he didn't only have one like Hitoshi.

But when he went to collage he could and would forget all about Amber. He didn't need her. He didn't.

"I don't need you!" He screamed out, then slammed his head on his bent knees.

A boy with copper brown hair walked out into the boys washroom, stared at Kai with raised eyebrows and a confused expression.

"What?"

Growling, Kai got up and exited the washroom, slamming the door after him.

He was going to have a little talk with Amber.

-O-

"Hey." Tala caught up to Ruin shooting pucks into the empty net on the ice. He skated up to her and stood watching her. "I missed you."

She stopped shooting and slowed her stick to a stationary motion. She turned around and came face to face with Tala Valkov. Ruin almost smiled but bit her tongue. The gothic female shrugged, and skated to the boards. She jumped over them and sat down on the bench behind them.

She took off her helmet. Tala sat down beside her. "So how are you?" He asked her.

"Good." She lowered her gaze to the floor. "You?" She still didn't look up.

"I'm fine now that your back." He joked and weather he meant it or not she didn't know. He was too complicated to understand sometimes.

"Whatever." She cocked her head to look at him. He was still picture perfect. His stunning turquoise eyes, blood red hair. Pale creamy Russian skin. She sighed inwardly at the sight of him.

"Ruin, I---"

He stopped and closed his mouth when she hugged him almost reluctantly.

"I missed you too."

He grinned and pulled her so close to him because he was afraid he would lose her again.

A Kodak moment, he thought with pleasure.

-O-

Now I will tell you

What I've done for you

Fifty thousand tears I've cried

Screaming, deceiving, and bleeding

For you

But you still won't hear me

Going under

Arista sat singing along with Amber. They're voices were being heard by one other; Hitoshi. Aspin had left them saying she needed to talk to Kane. Tala and Ruin were nowhere to be seen, and everyone else had pretty much disappeared.

Amber hadn't seen Kai all day, and she was glad. She was still miffed at him for not believing her. Sure she sometimes used apologies to manipulate people, but she'd always meant them when she said them to Kai. She was also confused because he wouldn't talk to her either. She was bored stupid, which was the only reason she was helping clean under Arista's bed.

Don't want your hand this time

I'll save myself

Maybe I'll wake up for once

Not tormented daily defeated by you

Just when I thought I reached the bottom

As if in slow motion, Hitoshi dropped a picture frame accidentally on the floor. The glass shattered. The only reason he was helping was because he wanted to catch a glimpse of Shahero. The girl had been avoiding him like the plague since Friday.

I dive

Dive again

Kai walked into the room deceptively calm and looked around for Amber. When he found her he walked to her and stared at her for a few seconds. Her black, ebony streaked hair was open, hanging to her shoulders. Her full lips were parted slightly, and her eyebrows were raised emphasizing her tawny eyes.

I'm going under

Drowning you along

Falling forever

I've got to break through, I

I'm going under

"What? Is there something on my face?" Amber waved her hand in front of his face. He didn't even blink. He stared into her confused ochre eyes, then lowered his gaze to her mouth.

Kai could vaguely make out her voice, but he didn't understand anything she was saying. All he could think about was how much he wanted her.

He crushed his lips to hers and put his hand on the sweetly venerable curve of her neck. He pulled her closer to him and held her there.

-O-

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed. You all get pumpkins, on honour of Halloween, the best time of the year. Anyways, I have so many ideas for this fic. So keep the review coming please. Amber must be so confused, she won't know what hit her until it's too late. Ah! The evil love bug is spreading. Ehk. Review please, and you will get another pumpkin. Doncha love me? Please say yes. Aw, man, my fingers are so cold. It's freezing in me room. Ehk, R&R plz.

Alexis: Digital Survivor: I like it more when I prank people, but making people feel good is okay too. Actually, I like snakes. They're cool and freak out most of my cousins. Ew, worms I don't like! Yeah, there was a lot of Brooklyn/Arista. You get two pumpkins because your so nice to me.  
  
**ButterCup: **Which chapter do you mean? I'm confused. Anyways, pumpkin for you and a thank-you too. :D That rhymed.

unknown: I'm glad you liked it. Please review this chapter too. Aw, well if you know any good fics then you can recommend them please. Hands you a pumpkin

ChibiKai02: You live in Brooklyn? Aw, dude, that's so cool. Here's the update. Read and enjoy. Damn it, your internet to MSN got cut. Stupid MSN always causing problems. Enjoy your pumpkin.

uni n secylia: Cliffy? Really? Well, that's a good thing then. :P Aw, my grammar isn't perfect. blushes I have spell check. Lol. Thank you for reviewing. Here's a pumpkin for you. Glad you liked it.

Ayuka-chan: Brooklyn is the bestest. Rivalled only by the other red-head in Beyblade. I updated. Gives you a pumpkin

Anonymous: You get two pumpkins because you reviewed twice. And no I'm not mad at you. I'm glad you liked it, review please. She'll get better soon, snickers. My name is pronounced 'R-Kay-Dah'. Thanks for reviewing, and enjoy this chappie.

la-de-da: Hey! You get six pumpkins! And another because your so nice to me for reviewing every chapter! That's so sweet and nice of you. I feel so loved. Gushes

aZnpRyD: Hands you a pumpkin Hey, thanks for reviewing and I'm glad you liked it.

katrinaKatsy: What's his/her name? I wanna thank them, and I'm glad you like it. here's the update, thanks for reviewing. And here's a pumpkin for you too.


	8. Chapter 07: State of Shock

13 Shades of Grey

Chapter 07: State of Shock

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Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Next chapter is soon to be posted. Sorry for the long wait. If you review you get marsh mellows!! Who likes marsh mellows? I know I do!! Review please!

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ChibiKai02: Sorry to hear that, I thought it was a really cool place. No relationship to Brooklyn, huh? I saw a fan listing for the borough. But can't you just re-install the program? Or was it the format he deleted?. He loses his memory later on. In a few buncha more chapters. Don't worry. I'll post more soon.

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Alexis: Digital Survivor: Yup, a pumpkin. Screw the cookies, two more weeks until Halloween!! I'm Canadian too. My thanksgiving was spent sleeping, and watching Thanksgiving specials. Hehehe, more pumpkin pies. I like those, except I only ever really had one. Lots of Brooklyn/Arista is good? I guess so! Yeah, Amber and Kai are going to have a few more problems. Enjoy!

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Twerp: Here's Amber's reaction all written out. Except she's a bit more confused than she's letting on.

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unknown: Your welcome. I like pumpkins. Brooklyn is hot, yes, I agree. He's so cute. Happy reading.

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anonymous: I'm glad you liked it. Your welcome for the pumpkins. Thanks for reviewing!

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la-de-da: I love Linkin Park!! They so rock! Glad you liked it. Please review.

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umi n secylia: Ehk, I think that it was missing parts in the last paragraph. It was rushed?

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Emily - ): I updated. Thanks for the review, and happy reading.

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Ayuka-chan: Kai was OOC...?

-O-

Amber pushed away from Kai and took a few deep, cleansing breaths. Her brain still hadn't processed what had happened, and she refused to even think about it. One minute she was collecting lint from Arista's sweater and the next Kai's soft lips had been crushed to hers.

Her knees felt weak, she collapsed to the floor. Her legs spilled like jelly underneath her. She buried her face in her hands, resting her elbows on her knees. This was all so confusing.

Kai watched her and sunk to the floor, sitting opposite her. He folded his legs underneath him and reached out a hand. He stroked Amber's cheek before pushing stray bangs out from her face. He couldn't see her eyes and therefore didn't know what she was thinking. Her bronze skin seemed to glow, he noticed.

A wave of silence had washed over them causing much discomfort. Kai's hand rested on Amber's face, cupping it. He made to pry her hands apart. But her voice stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Don't."

She was scared or frightened. He knew that the way her voice shook. He always loved her voice, the way it held a Celtic ring to it. When she was angry or frustrated it took on a jagged edge. When she was saying certain words her tongue would roll or hold them longer. It wasn't like that. He couldn't hear the Celtic ring; all he heard was the rejection in her tone.

He sucked in breath through his teeth and waited. He waited for her to do something, say something, even snap at him. But nothing. Kai dropped his hand; it landed on his thigh. Hitoshi and Arista had long since abandoned them, giving them space and privacy. After all, it was their problem they should work it out.

Kai's stomach twisted and his gut churned. Why was she just sitting there? He was becoming desperate. Kai could picture himself prying away her hands, but since she'd told him to stop, he had. And so he clenched his fists tightly together instead. His knuckled were turning white.

Amber was quiet, she didn't utter a single word. A state of shock had completely taken over her mind. It wasn't everyday Kai Hiwatari, her mortal enemy, kissed her. If he'd liked her then he would have acted in his feelings before, not now. Or maybe he didn't like her and only wanted to hurt her. Yeah, that was the only explanation. Ether that or brain sucking aliens had switched his brain for someone else's. She sighed, although her hands, which still covered her face, muffled it, it was audible.

She was upset, because she had convinced herself that even for one second that Kai found her remotely pretty. Because she had convinced herself that for one second that maybe a male specie was physically attracted to her. Well hell, the shit hit the fan and she was left to face reality. No matter how much she didn't want to.

Oh well, better get it over with, she suggested to herself. No time like the present.

Suffocated. That was what Kai felt. Suffocated by Amber Marie Benson. She was everywhere, and her scent was always with him. Though how he didn't know. The floral scent always took his senses. And he couldn't get it out of him, couldn't get away from her. Two years was a hell of a lot when he thought about it, and not long enough to rid his brain of the Imp. Or long enough for his heart to forget her. No, things could never be the way they were. Not as long as she was here at Vaughn.

When Amber lowered her hands, she was staring into depths of mahogany. Kai's eyes locked on her ochre ones, he held her gaze. He watched the battle of emotions in her glassy eyes.

Amber found herself losing control. His eyes were just so damn gorgeous that she couldn't bear to look away. She couldn't, for the life of her, figure out how Hiwatari's mind worked. It was so confusing.

Kai's gaze lowered to her lips. Full and cherry red. Amber lowered her gaze to the floor, what was she supposed to do now?

She didn't have to answer, seeing as her brain went foggy and shut off again as her senses dulled when Kai's lips claimed hers for a second time. She melted in his arms, sighing drunkenly when he lifted his mouth. She smelled in the scent of him, dark vanilla and musk.

Kai smirked when she fell back into his arms, limp but still conscious. It gave him some satisfaction to know that he affected her too.

-O-

Arista growled and flicked another paper ball at Brooklyn. He was trying to do his work but he might as well have been doing nothing because he was making no progress at all. All thanks to the Queen of Misunderstanding who didn't understand anything at all.

In this case it was perfect but seriously he wished she would give him a break. He was going to hurt her, not physically, but emotionally or mentally he would get to her. He would lead her on and then break her.

Brooklyn swatted away a paper ball, it fell to the floor. "Stop." He deadpanned.

"I would, but I have just so much paper. Might as well do something useful with it." Arista replied curtly.

Brooklyn snorted and then got up. He stretched and yawned. Schoolwork always did that to him, it was relatively easy, but it was just so pointless and boring. He plucked a cd randomly from a stack near the stereo. He slipped it in and then pushed play.

__

Shut the fuck up she said

I'm going fucking deaf

Your always too loud

Everything's too loud

Everything's too loud

Arista jumped up, knocking paper over from the paper stack along the way, she ran and put the volume higher. Brooklyn rolled his eyes and sat back down. She sang along, though it was barely audible due to the volume. At least now he wouldn't have to listen to her ranting about he how was the reincarnate of the devil, he thought. Often times he wanted to glue her lips shut, then tie up her arms and legs so she couldn't go anywhere, or do anything. That he'd pay to see. Arista was always so energetic and eager to do stuff, maybe that was why she always got her foot in her mouth. She just did stuff impulsively without thinking about the responsibilities or the consequences. She got into a lot of trouble for it later on though. Something he liked about her, because he didn't have to do anything to embarrass her.

__

Now that all my friends left

This place is fucking dead

I wanna move out

When can we move out  
This shit has got to stop  
I'll run away

Kane came stepped in the dorm, Aspin's arms encircled around his neck. He grinned and then sat down on his bed, Aspin sat down on his lap. Arista rolled her eyes, Kane liked to show off his property. She frowned at the term, it was degrading and besides that, Aspin was human, not a thing. But who was she to say? She didn't have Kane hanging all over her. Good thing too because she found him annoying even though he was a master prankster. But compared to Ian he was an amateur.

__

Get the fuck up she said  
Your life is meaningless  
It's going nowhere  
You're going nowhere

"Get a room." She called over the noise of the music.

Kane turned to her. "Funny, Robert said the same thing in the hallway. And then we came here. This is a room, right?" He looked to Brooklyn for help.

__

You're just a fuck up she said  
I'll live alone instead  
She said "You don't care."  
I know I don't care

Brooklyn nodded, he wasn't going yell pointlessly over the music. Arista scowled and then continued to throw paper balls at Brooklyn. Aspin stared at the female.

"Are you going to be here all day?" She asked somewhat politely. She hadn't spent much time with her boyfriend and she missed him.  
  
_I'll never ask permission from you  
Fuck off I'm not listening to you  
I'm not coming home  
I'm never going come back home_

"No, I've seen enough horror to last a life time."

_I got too fucked up again  
And passed out on the plane  
Tried to forget you  
I can't forget you_

Kane gave her the finger, which she gladly returned. Arista stuck out her tongue after throwing a stack of paper at the couple, and then left the dorm followed by Brooklyn.  
  
_No sleep on this flight  
I'll think about the nights  
We had to get through  
How did we get through?_

"What's wrong now?" Brooklyn eyed her. She was sitting on the floor boredly, poking the floor with her index finger.

"I just saw your face."

_I'll never ask permission from you  
Fuck off I'm not listening to you  
I'm not coming home  
I'm never going to come back home  
I think it's time that I should leave_

"Gee, that's too bad." He replied sarcastically, with a roll of his light eyes. The music was still audible through the closed door.

"Yeah, I'm scarred for life." She sighed. He didn't respond and instead left. His book bag was slung on his shoulder casually, but she could still smell the stink. Arista grinned, he still hadn't taken out the food. Or maybe he hadn't found out it was there.

__

I'll never ask permission from you  
Fuck off I'm not listening to you  
I'm not coming home  
I'm never going to come back home  
I'll run away  
  
I think it's time for me to leave

-O-

Thursday October the twelfth was sunny skies with a chilly wind. Arista had taken the bandage off her wrist, the stitches were still there, but she had peeled some of them away leaving a stinging sensation on her skin. The imprint of them was still there, a reminder of what she'd done. She remembered it like it was all yesterday. Shahero had gotten rid of her bandage the minute she'd gotten off the ice. It was be just too distracting during a match to have a bandage on her hand. And besides, she couldn't exactly handle her stick correctly as Coach had pointed out.

Arista was physced about the exhibition match Saturday. She couldn't wait, even if she wasn't going to play, she would stay and watch. And point out to Mariah where she needed to better he defence or blocking abilities.

Miyami skated back to her cousin. She was on her skateboard, outside near the back doors of the school. There was a rail where she was grinding. Arista always preferred roller blades because she could keep her balance better. They were waiting for the bell to ring, signalling that they would be allowed inside again.

They were suspended for the day because they'd gotten jell-o and poured it on Ian, thus starting a food fight. Half the day they'd spent at the cinéma watching a movie called 'Hero'. The rest of the day was spent at the arcade playing video games, then they'd come to the back of the school and just hung out. 6:02, they still had an hour to go, Miyami noticed looking at her black and silver watch.

Arista played with her hair, picking apart the strands. She sighed boredly and then turned to Miyami. "I wanna get a hair cut."

"Alec is the expert, not me."

"I know, but he's not here. Let's go to the mall and find a salon. I want to get black and red streaks."

"Sounds like a plan."

After about twenty minutes, they were in Bakuten district, outside the school district. Arista bladed up to the stairs of the mall and climbed up, her roller blades clunking loudly. Miyami skated up the ramp smoothly, and made a jump to land on the gravel of the walkway.

They made it in with the odd stares from the people that were smoking or loitering outside. Arista sped up when she spotted a salon, she motioned for Miyami to follow.

The door lady looked at them disapprovingly. "What do you want?" She sneered.

Arista surveyed the living, breathing, plastic barbie doll. Bleach-blonde hair, too-skinny waist, puffed chest, small skinny legs, and baby blue eyes. She grinned. "I wanna get a hair cut, Nancy." She read the name from the tag on the fancy red suit.

Nancy looked over Arista's clothes. Scrawny, and small. Her jeans were ripped at the knees, getting baggier and looser as they hung down, and her sweater had two holes on each side where her thumbs poked through, covered in wrist guards. She gave a look of censure. Arista's hair was open, going to her elbows. Her left ear had three piercings, well her right had two. Four or five silver chain-like necklaces hung around her neck.

The lady rubbed her nails against her suit jacket and then waved her hand towards her left. Arista bladed away, while Nancy wore a look of anger and disbelief.

"And you?" She sneered at Miyami. Miyami's silver hair was left open. The streaks of pink, black, and light green were visible as light shone upon her hair. She was wearing a black skirt with many chains hanging off, her ears were covered with earrings and studs. A spiked pierce was in her eyebrow, and a lip ring on her bottom lip. She was wearing her Rancid t-shirt, her arms were covered in jelly bracelets. She smirked, showing off her pointed canine like teeth.

"I'm fine." She held her skateboard in her arm and sat down on a chair making herself comfortable. Nancy gave a sigh of frustration and walked away shaking her head.

-O-

Sonia gasped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Ozuma stood behind her, he had shocked her, and not to mention how good he looked with his bare chest.

Ozuma had taken off his shirt because it was too hot. He found the Australian female tying her shoelace. Lately she hadn't been herself and he hadn't seen her for a while. He missed her.

"Hey, how are you?" He asked her. He would start the conversation off casually and then ask her why she was avoiding him.

"I'm fine, you just startled me, that's all." Her gaze rose to is teal eyes. She could sense a flicker of emotions run through them and then she wondered what her eyes looked like. Could he tell? Feeling uncomfortable she rose off the bench and stood. She shrugged off his hand and started into an easy gait.

"I'm going for a run." She declared. Ozuma jogged up to her.

"I'll join you." He flashed her a smile sending her heart spiralling. A flutter of something she barely recognized rose in her stomach.

"Yeah, uh sure." She started to break into a run, leaving him behind her a few paces.

Ozuma shrugged and stayed behind her. If she wanted time to realize her feelings, she would get it. But if she took too long then he'd just give have to interfere. For now, he enjoyed the view of her backside.

Ahead of him, Sonia sighed. What was she supposed to do about Ozuma? She'd been avoiding him for pretty long now, almost two weeks. She still had mixed feelings about him, she was his friend, but a part of her wanted to be more than that. And sooner rather than later. What was wrong with her? Sure she'd always been physically attracted to him, he did occupy her brain a lot. But what if he didn't want to be more than just friends, then he would reject. She didn't want to ruin they're friendship, it would be really awkward.

She frowned, her insecurities nibbled away at her, chewing up her insides. She'd go ask Ruin or Mikey for some advise. They both knew how to handle things. This also gave her an excuse to get away from Ozuma who was trailing behind her. She could almost feel his gaze burning into her. His eyes were so exquisite. She could stare at them all day and lose herself in them.

__

No, we're just friends, her brain corrected her.

__

But we could be so much more. Her insides battled for dominance while she finished running around the track. She sat down on the bench and checked her time, 2:37.

Ozuma came 20 seconds later. He sat down beside her and took a few deep breaths. "Hey. Man, I'm tired."

Sonia rose a brow. "After three laps around the track? Coach makes you do at least 10 around the rink."

"Yeah, I just had practice. And now I have a whole shit load of homework to do."

Sonia made and o of acknowledgement. Ozuma continued. "We haven't spent a lot of time together since the head boy and girl meetings, and I need some help with and English essay I have to do." He looked into her eyes, so many emotions played through them like a film. He watched them go a little hazy.

"I have to go. I need to talk to Ruin about something."

Sonia got up, taking her duffel bag with her and then left him staring at her retreating figure. Wait a second, since when had Ruin come back?

-O-

Ignoring Kai used to be easy for Amber, now it was different. Before her feelings resembled hatred but now she was so confused she didn't know what to think. So she was sitting in Bryan's lap listening to her Lost Prophets cd while she thought about what to do. She was watching the video Tala and Johnny had filmed. She couldn't hear the sounds, she just knew she liked what she saw. Her face reappeared on the screen, she grinned and made a V with her fingers just before the screen flashed black.

She clapped gleefully and smiled. "I loved it."

Tala grinned, Ruin sitting beside him, his arm around her shoulders bringing her close to him. Amber snuggled further into Bryan's arms. Tala had always liked Ruin, in more than a platonic friendship sort of way. He'd confessed to Amber, but Ruin had left and he wasn't able to act on them. When Ruin had left, she'd left Amber sad and lonely, and Tala heartbroken. not that she didn't affect her other friends, when she'd left everyone had forged a bond that could never be broken. Now that she was back, Tala wasn't letting her go.

Whether Ruin wanted him to or not Tala loved her. More than she thought possible. Tala let go of her to retrieve his video from the VCR. He slipped it into his bag and slung his bag on his shoulder. He waited for Ruin to collect her things and then poked Amber until she got up.

"I don't wanna, and you can't make me." She stuck out her tongue and folded her arms against her chest. "Bryany!" She complained to her cousin. "Can I have a piggy-back ride?"

When he refused she persisted until he agreed. She jumped up and down on the spot. "Yay!"

Bryan gave a ghost of a smile and then leaned down. Amber jumped onto his back and clasped her hands around his neck. She grinned and sang in tune to her cd.

"And I can be on the last train home, watch it pass the day, as it fades away, no more to kill, no more time today..." Her voice trailed off yet again.

Bryan walked out of the red room and into the hallway. Tala was talking casually to Ruin about something, Shahero jogged up to them and fell in step, joining their conversation. Ahead of them Miyami, Johnny, and Kai stood handing out purple papers.

"What're these for?" He asked taking one from Kai, who happened to stand closest to him.

"Do you actually Hiwatari was going to read what it read? I doubt his tiny brain can handle it." Bryan smirked at Amber's comment.

Kai rolled his eyes, so she was going to pretend it never happened. Fine with him. He would just corner her about it later when she was alone. After all, them being in the same school, and being on the same team, and having some classes together wasn't going to help her any.

If he was going down, he would bring her down with him. After all, there was saying or something that went 'Love is a disease, and it's contagious. Spread it and everyone else will be sick too!' He smirked, it would be like torturing Amber, that was always good for a laugh and a half.

Amber turned her gaze to Miyami and looked at the female. Something had changed what was it? She lowered the volume on her Discman and pulled her hood over her head.

"Miya? Did you do something?" She looked questionably at the silver haired female.

Miyami grinned from ear to ear. She flipped her hair over her shoulder and posed. "D'ya like it?"

Amber ran a hand through silver tresses and nodded. "It's so pretty. I wanna get streaks too."

She surveyed the newly streaked hair and grinned. The silver hair was streaked was cut into choppy bangs that slipped into her eyes. She had pink and purple streaks that blended in, looking natural. It was layered at the back and left open.

"I love it. Did Ari get hers done too?" Miyami nodded.

Johnny stepped in between Miyami and Amber. "I would like to take my girlfriend to heaven and back. Would you please excuse us?"

Amber smirked and gave a soft punch to Johnny's arm. "Whatever." She stepped inside, still riding on Bryan's back. They made a bee-line to the back of the gym and sat down in the far corner. Sonia sat beside Michael talking in hushed whispers. The noise around them escalated as more students piled into the gym.

Amber spotted Kane and Rei sitting on either side of Arista. They were too far away to hear her, so she settled instead for looking around for someone else. Her view was cut short as Kai came and sat in the once empty seat directly in front of her. She narrowed her eyes and kicked his chair. He didn't even turn around, and instead pushed his chair back causing a cry of surprise from Amber.

The legs of Kai's chair snagged on the bottoms of Amber's pants causing her discomfort. She leaned forward to avoid them slipping off. Putting her hands on her narrow waist she pulled at them, but it was no use.

In front of her Kai made no move to acknowledge her presence. Amber frowned and rapped her knuckles on her chair. Kai didn't even phase. Losing her temper slightly, Amber punched him hard on the arm. Finally catching his attention, he turned his head slightly, catching her eye.

Her ochre eyes glittered with anger and annoyance. She pointed with her free hand to the floor, the bottoms of her pants were caught underneath the bottoms of Kai's chair.

She growled into his face and practically had her nose to his. Kai didn't even blink, and instead was waiting to hear what she had to say.

"Your on my pants. Move!"

Kai raised a slate eyebrow. "And why would I do that? What if I like the position we're in?"

Amber leaned back slightly, caught off guard. "I... Just get off my pants!"

She shoved him with her hand, or that was her intention but Kai easily caught her wrist. Her pulse hitched, and her skin throbbed from his touch. She cleared her head shaking it, making her hair spill out from her hood.

He frowned at her surprised face. "I was kidding, Benson. I wouldn't touch you with a ten foot pole."

He let go of her wrist and turned around abruptly. Amber, confused and sad at the bitter edge to his words, turned the volume up so that she could block out any noise of anything save for the music.

Kai's words stung, she narrowed her eyes baffled with the blunette, then shook her head and settled into an easy almost sleep. She was still conscious and still aware of how Kai's broad shoulders were tensed and muscled. Something she hadn't really noticed. She knew he had muscles, just that they weren't of any interest before. She tore her gaze away almost hesitantly and leaned her head onto Bryan's shoulder. Spencer sat beside the lilac haired male, they were talking about something or other, she didn't pay any more attention and just listened to her Lost Prophets cd.

-O-

****

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	9. Chapter 08: Violent Tendencies

13 Shades of Grey

Chapter 08: Violent Tendencies

-O-

Arista kicked the chair in front of her and waited for Aspin to hand her back her Game Boy. Aspin made a sound of annoyance, grumbled and then handed the see-through purple electronic game back to it's owner.

Arista smiled giddily and started pushing buttons, raising her score ever higher. She was playing Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 3. She stuck out her tongue in such a way that gave her more concentration and almost jumped out of her seat when she beat her old hi-score record.

Before she was sitting beside Rei and Kane. But she'd switched seats because Rei kept talking, distracting her, and Kane was just a pain. How did he and Aspin even get together was beyond her. Kane had left a while back, saying he needed to use the washroom. He'd disappeared since, and hadn't come back yet.

Tala jabbed her with his elbow lightly; Arista stashed the game into her shirt pocket and waited for Mr. Dickenson to pass. He knew that she was playing games, but he let her off. After all, listening to speeches from teachers was pretty boring. Giving one was worse. He smiled slightly and walked off.

As soon as he was gone Arista sighed, and took her Game Boy out again. Tala rolled his eyes amused, and pretended to pay attention but caught himself glancing back towards Ruin. More often than not his gaze would travel to the gothic female.

She was currently seated two rows, and six seats to the left in front of him. Sonia sat beside her, talking non-stop. Ruin looked thoughtfully at her friend, adding in her input every now and then. Aspin sat beside Rei and Shahero. The three had started to throw paper at the students in front of them.

Amber was probably with Bryan or Spencer, or one of her cousins. Ozuma was standing along with Hitoshi on the stage, they were playing Double-Oh-Seven while trying to look alert and interested. Tala grinned, he was so glad he'd refused Head boy. The boredom he would have had to endure would have been fathomless.

Arista squealed with delight as she made it one level higher. Tala smirked and surveyed the screen to read her score. It was in the millions as far as he could tell. Beside him, Ian nudged his arm. Tala turned to his left and raised an eyebrow to the midget Russian.

"What?"

"Just watch." Came the reply.

Ian took out his chewed gum and rolled it with his forefinger and thumb. When it was somewhat round, he leaned forwards and dropped it into Shahero's hair. She didn't even notice. For fear of it falling out, Ian decided to take his chances and applied pressure to the gum, tacking it onto the dark-haired girl's hair. Shahero was too busy flicking paper balls to even notice anything.

Tala smirked. When Shahero found out she would kill the living daylights out of Ian. That he would love to watch.

The lights in the gym dimmed to a low glow, a screen was lowered and an overhead was rolled into the gym.

"Oh great, just what we need. A boring film to go along with a boring assembly."

Now he would have to sit for another hour or so and watch a boring film that was probably made just especially for them to watch. He groaned and sunk deeper into his chair. Well, hell wouldn't this be fun?

Arista paused her game and looked up curiously to see what they were going to watch. The squeaking of the wheels on the cart of the overhead stopped. The lights on the stage flashed on. She waited idly to see what would happen now.

Usually assemblies were boring and never had any films or anything. Something was different. She tried to remember any new students coming to her school over the past two months. She drew a complete blank, until she thought about Zeo.

Was he a new student? Or had he just started late in the school year? She couldn't figure it out so she looked to Tala and only met his confused teal orbs. She turned back to her Game Boy and saved her progress then switched it off. She might as well get some sleep out of this. Arista sunk into her chair and leaned her head on Tala's shoulder, making herself comfortable. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep.

Her progress was cut short when she heard a screeching then opened one eye slowly to figure out that it was from the microphone held by none other than Principal Gerro. She groaned and closed her eye, this would not only be boring, this was going to be long, monotonous, and mind-numbing. She ran a hand through her hair and sighed. Tala murmured a noise of agreement and closed his own eyes.

Gerro started talking and then eventually stopped as six students stepped onto the stage. They seemed pretty bored and annoyed.

From what Shahero could see there were four guys and two girls. One girl was short and had pink hair, the other was short and had blue hair or so it seemed. Two of the boys were platinum blondes, one had silvery grey hair, and the last one had red and brown hair. She frowned not familiar with any of them. Another girl stepped onto the stage, she had orange and brown hair.

Shahero's gaze lingered on the blue haired older Kinomiya, her eyes met his and held them. She frowned, things between them had cooled off since she'd embarrassed him at practise. Looking away she brushed her bangs out of her face, and put him at the back of her mind. She turned to Aspin who was turned around talking to Robert. Actually, arguing made a better point.

"How uncouth. Throwing balls of paper at other students is so immature. Really." He tsk'ed a few times. Shahero rolled her eyes at the pretentious male. He could be seriously annoying sometimes, the way he thought he was better than everyone else.

She turned around slightly enough to face him. "Robert, your face is immature."

Robert narrowed his eyes and frowned. "I don't believe I asked for you opinion, Kaeto."

The way he said everyone's last names instead of their first names made her even more annoyed. She got confused when he said someone's last name and she didn't know whom he was talking about.

"I don't _believe_ Aspin asked for your opinion either." She retorted to him.

He hmphed and then turned his nose at the two. Rei grinned and congratulated the two. "Score one more for us."

Aspin smiled and then offered him a paper. She scrunched up one in her hand and aimed it for Daichi's head. It ricocheted off the lanky red-head and landed on Tyson's lap. He turned around boredly and looked questioningly at the purple haired female.

"What?" She asked innocently. He raised an eyebrow and looked at her disbelievingly, he pointed to the paper in his lap.

"Oh. That. Ian did it."

Tyson flung it at the Russian and then added, "Knock it off, dude. I wanna sleep."

"What the hell?" Ian asked confused.

He himself had been trying to catch a few zees. Only to have it snatched away from him by a paper ball. He growled and remained his former sleeping position.

In front of him, Shahero saw him trying to sleep. Well, wasn't this interesting?

"Hey, Arista!" She poked the Russian until she woke, eyes droopy.

Arista wiped sleep from her eyes and stared blankly at Shahero. She could practically sleep with her eyes open. Shahero remembered her telling her that she'd been practising.

She poked Arista again until she was sure the Russian was awake. "What?" Came the snappy reply.

"Do you have salt?"

If you asked anyone else this question they would have said no, but Arista kept spare salt packets. Just so she could spill them on people. She nodded slowly and processed what she had just been asked.

"Oh, yeah. Hang on."

Shahero grinned. Her gaze ran over Ian's sleeping form. He would never see this coming.

"Here." Arista handed three salt packets to the Asian and resumed her ex-position.

Shahero rolled her eyes. Her friends, Sleepy, and Already Sleeping. If Ian would have a nick name, it would have been Smelly, Nosey, or Shorty. Shorty and Nosey made much more of an impact than Smelly. Besides he didn't smell half bad, she noticed as she leaned back in her chair. She ripped open the small salt packet and poured it in Ian's shirt.

Her chair rocked dangerously back as her weight was leaned forwards. She took no notice, and instead leaned forwards even more. The lights in the gym all went out at once. Thunder crackled and whipped in the far distance. Shahero, caught off guard from the surprise, lost her balance and toppled over in her chair. She fell forwards, half on top of a shaken Tala, and half on top of a disgruntled Ian. Arista had been knocked down as well, a long with a couple of students around the four. Aspin held onto Rei's steadying hands to keep from falling.

Shahero's legs were splayed onto Arista's lap. Her head rested in Ian's hands, and her torso was on Tala. She struggled to get up, almost falling over again. She looked around at the cascading effect. The lights were back on, and everyone was staring at the pile of students on the floor. She immediately ducked down, as to avoid being targeted by any suspecting teachers.

She crawled under chairs, followed by Arista and Tala. Tala was struggling slightly seeing as he was almost a foot taller than Shahero, and a third of a foot taller than Arista. He bumped his head several times, and his body bumped into the legs of chairs and students.

Arista was still half-asleep, her brain was foggy and her senses were slightly dulled. Shahero was ahead of her, Tala behind her. She figured she should keep crawling under the chairs until she hit something solid, or until Shahero stopped.

She bumped into something and hissed. She rose only to bump her back onto the bottom of someone's chair. She cursed and lowered her body closer to the ground.

"What the flying fuck?" She rasped, finding her voice dry and hoarse.

"Hey, I see a flying fuck now. Other than that the door won't open. Help me."

Tala was still behind them, trying to catch up. Arista turned and made her way into the second row. She pushed at the door with her might, but it didn't budge.

"It's locked." Shahero stated.

"Way to be Ms. Obvious." Arista rolled her eyes. Behind them Tala panted, looking worse for wear. He crouched down and caught his breath.

"Or someone's holding it." Shahero ended her sentence. She flicked her dark hair out of her eyes and frowned. Tala squeezed in front of her and pushed at the door. Again, it remained stuck. Because of their cramped positions they weren't able to push properly at the door.

Arista turned back into the first row, just as she was about to turn, her feet caught with the fabric of someone's clothes. She was knocked off her knees. She cursed viscously and winced when her head banged on the linoleum.

She looked at the gap between the chairs, and met the smirking face of Brooklyn. She raised her arms and tugged at the sleeves of his arms. His grip on the handle of the door loosened. Shahero pushed at the door, along with Tala. It finally opened.

The three scrambled out and breathed in the clean, crisp air of the hallway.

Brooklyn emerged from behind the door, eyed the trio with raised brows. "Should I even bother to ask what happened?"

"No, so save you breath for something more important. Oh wait, I forgot how boring your life is."

Tala got up and dusted himself off. Arista followed suit as did Shahero.

Brooklyn rolled his moss eyes, his gaze lingered on Arista. Her cheeks were flushed prettily, and her eyes had melded together to form a light navy blue, tinged with amber. He blinked and wondered how they turned like that. Her hair had been left open, displaying silver, red streaked hair. It was a dark red, like the shade of Tala's hair. He frowned, when had she done that?

"What are we gunna do now?" Shahero asked boredly. Not that she wasn't grateful to have escaped from the bowels of boredom. Assemblies were worse than her Academic French class.

"I dunno." Came the reply from Arista.

"Let's decide on something."

"Other than staying here." Arista's eyes widened at the couple making out near the door. "Don't look now but here come the face-suckers!" She used the nickname she'd given to Miyami and Johnny.

"What about-"

"Detention with me for the whole week." Hitoshi's voice interrupted. He materialized from behind the doors of the gym. Stepping out, he came into view, he surveyed the students in the hallway. His eyes met Shahero's, and remained there.

"But, but, we're almost related!" Arista protested.

"Yeah, dude. Lay off." Shahero replied. "You're not even allowed to since your not a teacher."

"What if I did have authorization? Then I'd be allowed to." He stepped forward, closer to Shahero.

"Uh-uh." She almost faltered. Taking a step back she cleared her head. Hitoshi did not look good! Especially when he was smirking. He didn't, he didn't, he didn't! Shahero denied it, but she knew she was warming up to the older male. He was attractive, but she didn't want to like him. Damn it, this wasn't supposed to happen.

Hitoshi watched amused, it looked like Kaeto was having an inner struggle. And by the looks of things, it in some way involved him. He smirked and advanced on the unwary female. He backed her up against the wall, and slid his arms possessively around her waist. He was infatuated with her. Breathing in, he could make out her subtle scent.

Shahero realised who was holding her, and looked up to meet the amused orbs of Hitoshi Kinomiya. She started to wriggle but couldn't seem to break away from his grip. Hitoshi leaned down, and fanned his breath over her face, sending involuntary shudders down her spine. She shivered, goose bumps formed on her arms. Her t-shirt was doing nothing to shut out the cold.

"I don't wanna watch Hito suck face with Senny. Later skater."

Arista started her way down the hall, followed by Tala and Brooklyn.

Shahero watched her friends disappear. Her eyes widened in shock, then narrowed in annoyance. Fucking hell, wasn't this just peachy? Hitoshi caught the fearful look in her eyes, and loosened her grip. So, she was still getting over Brent. He would have to teach that asshole a lesson on how to treat people. Preferably with his fists. He let her go and watched her run down the hall, and turn the corner, disappearing from view.

-O-

Amber had fallen asleep on Bryan's shoulder. She wouldn't have woken up if a fire alarm went off. She could sleep through anything.

Bryan smiled down at his sleeping cousin and brushed the bangs out of her eyes. Amber awoke with a start. She wasn't really sleeping, she was awake, only pretending to sleep. She blinked, and rubbed sleep from her eyes. Stretching her arms in the air she yawned. Her arm stretched forward, bumping into Kai's head. He had also been sleeping, but was and extremely light sleeper. He awoke and opened his eyes still drowsy.

He turned around and came face to face with an apologetic Amber. She stretched again, exposing golden bronze skin. Kai's eyes wandered to her flat stomach, and slowly made their way to her eyes. He cursed himself and frowned.

Kai rubbed a hand on his eyes and yawned. "What?" He asked confused.

"Huh?" Amber replied unintelligently.

She pulled down her shirt and yawned. "Dija say something?"

"What?" Kai was awake now, and aware of Bryan's steely stare.

Amber frowned. How did Kai manage to look so cute? And why was she noticing? Oh yeah, because he was showing strong feelings towards her. Her cheeks flushed a light pink colour. Kai shrugged his shoulders and turned around. He grumbled something incoherent.

Amber shivered suddenly, why was it so cold all of a sudden? The lights flashed on, before flickering off. She growled as light flooded her eyes and left her feeling awkward.

Thunder crackled in the distance. The pitter-patter of raindrops falling could be heard. Electrical storm, she mused before resting her head on Bryan's shoulder. The overprotective male slipped his arm around her shoulder and warmed her up. He frowned in Hiwatari's direction, then kicked his chair.

Kai growled and moved his chair back purposely. He slammed the edge of it on Bryan's knees. The chair rammed its way up and over Bryan's knees, he hissed in pain. Then he writhed free.

Bryan looked hatefully at Kai who glared back. The two boys had violent tendencies, but kept them in check.

Amber pushed Kai's chair back, he looked at her poignantly, then turned away. Bryan met Amber's gaze, she was confused, he figured. Better leave it that way. A teacher came, tapped Bryan on the shoulder, then Kai.

"Follow me."

"With pleasure." Kai mumbled sarcastically. Bryan settled for glaring at Kai's back, and followed the teacher out into the hall, and to the front office.

In the distance they heard Gerro turn the mike back on. He started to talk about the exhibition game that would take place tomorrow. Bryan strained to hear what was being said, as did Kai. If they were on the Senior Varsity Hockey team, they needed to know what time it would take place.

Mr. Sanders, the teacher that had led them away, recognized them as players from the team and reconsidered his lecturing them. After all, he wanted Vaughn to win.

"You boys are on the team, aren't you?" He asked them, his brown eyes questioning.

Kai nodded, "Yeah." Mr. Sanders took Bryan's grunt as a yes.

"Then you should know about that Exhibition game. Go back in, but I don't want any more trouble. Do you understand?"

Kai nodded again.

"Whatever." Bryan turned around and walked back into the gym. Kai waited until he was alone to breathe a sigh of relief. Bryan was someone who had and ugly temper, and someone who Kai didn't want to get on the bad side of.

He walked around to the other side of the gym and entered through a different side of the gym, not wanting to go near Amber while her overprotective cousin was around. He frowned, why did Amber have to complicate things without even trying?


	10. Chapter 09: Exhibition Game

13 Shades of Grey

Chapter 09: Exhibition Game

**Thankies to everyone who reviewed. It is greatly appreciated. And contrary to popular belief, I am not dead. I have been comatose. Actually Ive really been busy. Anywho, enjoy!! read and review please, comments and constructive criticism is greatly welcomed.**

-O-

Arista sat on the bleachers, behind the glass separating the arena and the rink. She sighed as a puck went flying into the net, Mariah had fumbled and the puck went in. Arista frowned.

The score was now three to two. When the game had started, Vaughn was beating the Torpedoes by two, now the Torpedoes were winning by one point. Sighing, Arista jumped down to the ground. She banged her fist on the glass to catch Mariah's attention, the pink haired goalie turned to Arista and stared questioningly.

"What?" She yelled agitated. If Arista was only going to point out her mistakes or faults, then she didn't want to hear it. Her auburn eyes narrowed as Arista finished her sentence.

"-And don't let them get close to the net at all. They're offensive and they'll--"

"Ari, will you shut up and let me play? I'm under enough stress as it is, and you're not helping."

Mariah's grades were suffering from her excessive practises, and her cheerleading. She was the captain and she still had to direct the cheers and practises. But Arista shouting at her and the extra hockey practises weren't helping at all.

She coughed. Her throat was itchy and it hurt. She had the flu and she was extremely fatigued. Arista blinked and then realised that what she was saying probably wasn't very encouraging. She smiled sheepishly and shrugged a shoulder.

"Sorry. You're doing great, keep it up! Just don't let any more pucks in!" Arista sat down on the bench after a grateful look from her friend.

'Yeah, whatever.' She thought sourly. It was driving her crazy that she couldn't play. And all because her hand still hurt. But only slightly. The ref blew his whistle, signalling the restart of the game. Arista watched, her eyes glued to the puck. Kai handled it all the way into the defensive zone of the Torpedoes, then passed to Spencer, who passed it to Tala. Tala stood at the ready, beside the net. He circled around to shake off the defensive players on the opposite team.

Tala stopped and then turned the other way. He made ready for a wrist shot, but just as he was about to shoot, a player from the other team tripped him. He crashed to the floor, a crunch could be heard as his stick twisted and broke. The ref blew his whistle.

"Tripping." The ref yelled out. "Two minutes."

An agitated player skated to the penalty box. Shahero made a face and smirked. "Nyah nyah."

He growled and slammed the protective glass. Hitoshi went behind Shahero and moved her out of the way before she got called for unsportsmanlike conduct. Shahero frowned and wiggled out of his grip.

Hitoshi frowned. Weren't they making progress? He sighed and skated to his position. Apparently not.

-O-

Johnny skimmed over the ice, expertly. He stopped before the blue line to pass the puck to Ruin. Three minutes left in the game and they were tied four-four. Ruin caught the pass easily and skated forwards, she passed it back to Johnny. Behind them Bryan checked a player, leaving him crumpled on the floor. Ozuma checked a player that had been rapidly advancing on Johnny.

"Change it up!" They heard their coach yell.

Johnny still had the puck. Ruin skated back, along with Ozuma and Bryan. Amber, Kai, and Miyami skated on to the ice. Shahero was about to go, when Coach placed a hand on her shoulder stopping her.

"What? Let me go!" She exclaimed annoyed, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"Kane, you're on."

Shahero sat down grumpily; Hitoshi scooted closer to her. He slipped a comforting arm around her shoulder. She turned her gaze back to the game. Because she was angry, Shahero hardly noticed Hitoshi's arm around her. She blew out air, making her bangs fly around her face. She folded her arms across her chest and grumbled profanities aloud.

Kai checked a player that had been on Amber's heels. Amber looked grateful, she skated faster towards the net, she made a smooth pass to Miyami. Miyami passed back to Kai, blocking a player from proceeding. Kai made a shot for the net. It bounced on the metal of the side of the net, and ricocheted off, bouncing back to Amber. She sped up with the puck in front of her.

"That's the Shahero we all know and love." Hitoshi mumbled into her ear. His breath was warm, nuzzled her ear, tickling it. She shivered involuntarily and poked her elbow in his ribs. He winced, but smirked. She was definitely warming up to him.

He was snapped out of his thoughts as a buzzer sounded, signalling that someone had scored. A second later, another buzzer went off. The game was over, and the score was five-four. Hitoshi looked down to the ice to see who'd scored.

-O-

Amber sat beside Shahero and Mariah. She gulped down more water, letting the liquid cool off her fiery throat. It seemed she was losing her voice. Again.

Johnny was on the stage, singing. God, he had an awesome voice, the Irish mixed with the American. Amber smiled, and got up. Shahero, already drunk, eyed her.

"Ams, stay and drink with me." She pleaded smiling.

Amber shook her head, and left quickly. Kai rolled his eyes and sat down beside Shahero. He'd saved her but on the ice but she couldn't even thank him properly. Shahero pulled Kai close to her, her arm around his shoulder.

"If you hurt her I'll hurt you." She whispered dangerously.

Two rough hands pulled her away from him. She leaned back into strong, toned arms. Hitoshi's scent trailed its way into her nose. She sighed and smiled. She was one happy girl.

"Oh, sorry Kai. Thought you were someone else." Hitoshi grinned apologetically and wrapped his arms around Shahero. She didn't do anything to stop him, and instead took another swig of beer. She finished her drink and slammed the bottle on the bar counter. She turned around in Hitoshi's arms and led him away to the dance floor.

Amber stood on the stage, she climbed up with help from Miyami. Johnny finished singing, a loud chorus of clapping followed his bow. Miyami smirked at the arrogant red-head.

"Don't I get any credit?" She asked pouting.

"You get all the credit you want." He whispered before planting his lips to hers. Amber poked them.

"We're still on stage." She reminded them.

Reluctantly the couple broke apart. Amber smirked. She loved doing that.

"How'sa 'bout we sing a song?" Arista jumped up on the stage. She picked up Miyami's guitar and started strumming nonsense. She could play the bass, just not when she was drunk. She swayed under the weight and plopped on the floor. Arista swung her legs, sitting closer to the edge.

"How'sa 'bout we all say 'welcome back Enrique?'"

A sandy blonde stepped on the stage. Baby blue eyes surveyed the teens on the stage, his face had several visible freckles. He smiled sweetly and pulled Arista up.

"You!" She exclaimed. "I know you!" She clapped her hands, turned to Amber.

"I know him! He's that guy I don't like." She turned back to Enrique, Amber rolled her eyes grinning.

Arista placed a hand on Enrique's shoulder. "How're you? Huh? Dija like it there in that place where you went?" She smiled expectantly waiting for an answer.

Her asking him about his vacation puzzled Enrique. What was going on? He looked confused, Amber whispered in his ear: "She's drunk."

Enrique nodded, understanding. He smiled, and swung his arm around Arista's shoulders. As long as she wasn't pounding his face into the ground, he might as well hold a semi-civil conversation. "My vacation was great. I saw so many good-looking girls."

Arista giggled and patted his chest. "What did you do there?"

Miyami raised an eyebrow as Enrique and Arista jumped off the stage, and made their way to the bar. They ordered drinks and sat down, swigging beer and laughing like old buddies. She couldn't help but grin at the oddity.

"Well that makes my day." Brooklyn said sarcastically. He was happy that Giancarlo was back. It was much more fun to annoy Belyaev with an accomplice. He walked past the stage and got lost in the crowd.

"What are we gunna sing now?"

Amber opened her mouth to answer Johnny's question, but was cut off by another voice. She rolled her eyes but couldn't help it as a grin formed on her lips. Shahero's head floated up to the stage, a second later the rest of her appeared as well. Hitoshi carried her, looking smug.

"InMe." She said giddily.

Shahero's arms were wrapped around Hitoshi's neck, his arms around her back supporting it, his other arm around her legs. Shahero's cheeks were tinged with pink, though she looked content enough.

Shahero liked the feel of his strong arms around her. Maybe it was time she gave him a chance. She liked the idea of her and Hitoshi being together. Or was that she was drunk enough to feel secure, that she was slowly accepting the fact she liked him instead of denying it all the time?

Amber wandered how it felt to be held like that. Sure she had guys that were friends, but she'd never had a boyfriend. The ones that she did have, she'd pushed away because she was confused with the whole concept. Her gaze unknowingly sought out a blue haired male, ochre eyes locked with mahogany. Kai's eyes bored into hers, sending a flutter to her stomach. He tilted his head to the side slightly. Amber was too far away to tell what was going through his eyes, and vice versa. He rose a slate brow in her direction, his hand slid to the empty seat next to him.

Amber, confused at the gesture, didn't have time to respond since Arista, after clambering to the stage, had poked her finger in her shoulder. She winced, and turned. Kai looked away annoyed. She would always put her friends before him. He shook his head, they weren't even together, but if that was what she'd do when or if they ever did, then what was the point? He wanted to be with her alone, he'd always see her with someone or other. No doubt not wanting to be caught alone by him.

He took another sip of his beer and sighed. Amber was just plain irritable.

-O-

Arista poked her finger in Amber's shoulder. She was looking elsewhere and didn't seem to hear anything she was saying.

"You!" Arista stated accusatory. She pointed a finger to Enrique, who was currently DJ. "You didn't tell me it was him! I thought he was-" She paused and burped. Arista faced Amber again. "I thought... Wait, what?"

She placed both her hands on her forehead, swaying dangerously. "Dude, my brain... hurts." She finished.

The Russian jumped down from the platform and pushed her way through the crowd, making it to the washroom. She frowned when she saw the line-up.

"Damn fuckers!" She growled as someone pulled her to the end of the line.

"Don't you know it's un-ladylike to swear?" Brooklyn's voice flowed into her ears.

"What?" She turned around and bumped her head with his chin. She rubbed her head and cursed.

"Why'd you do that?" She asked angry.

"Felt like it."

"I feel like killing you. Can I?"

Brooklyn rolled his eyes and stared down at the female. She was drunk and looked like she would throw up any second.

Arista's guts churned and twisted, greased with alcohol. She frowned. The line-up for the female's room was too long, but the boys' washroom was empty. She stepped out of the line, ran into the boys' room. Brooklyn followed her, curious.

Arista splashed cool water over her face, splashing it all over the floor too. Brooklyn rose a brow.

"What? The janitor will clean it, that's what he gets paid for."

She turned off the tap, brushed her hair out of her face. "Why are you here? Still?"

"Because I'm male and this is the boys' washroom."

"So why don't you use it? Huh?"

Brooklyn's eyebrows rose at her question. He waited for her to process what she'd just said.

Arista stood confused, not knowing what he was playing at. Frowning she tied her streaked hair into a ponytail. Bangs fell down messily, she blew out air, her bangs went flying around her face. She tucked them behind her ear scowling.

"Come on your not that slow, Belyaev."

"Oh Yeah? Wanna bet?" She planted her hands on her hips. Brooklyn looked at her like she had grown a second head, snickered.

"What's so funny?"

She was becoming more and more agitated with him by the second. She frowned and waited for an answer.

Brooklyn shook his head smirking, he left, leaving behind a confused female.

-O-

Silhouettes above the cradle

Hold me down

They won't let me go the wrong way

Arista sang along in her head, her mouth sore from all the beer she'd drunk. Her stomach ached, but she didn't care. After their team had won the game, she'd been so happy. Her hand was still aching, but she could hold a stick.

Mother taught me all the fables

Told me how in the end

All the sinners have to pay

By the end of this week, or hopefully sooner she would be able to play on the team again. She brightened at the thought. Arista seriously missed playing Hockey. Especially for her team, and with her friends.

I don't wanna live like my mother

I don't wanna let fear rule my life

And I don't wanna live like my father

I don't wanna give up before I die

Amber sat beside Hitoshi and Shahero. Miyami and Johnny were somewhere or other, Tala had left with Ruin and Kai. The blunette found no point in staying if Amber would just ignore him like she'd been doing the whole week. Bryan sat beside Amber on the other side. He'd noticed Kai glancing over every few minutes, trying to make eye contact with Amber. It was frustrating him because he couldn't do anything about it without getting Amber involved. He would corner Kai about it later.

Worked so hard his bones are breaking

Wore them down

Long ago he lost the feeling

His good intentions leave me shaken

Show me how

I don't ever wanna end up like he did

Aspin was talking animatedly to Enrique and Kane. Ian sat on the other side of Arista, Ozuma across from her, beside Sonia. On the other side of Arista sat Michael. Sonia has asked her if she'd wanted to trade spots but Arista had stated she was too tired to get up. Brooklyn was sitting with one of the students from the assembly. The platinum blonde, Arista construed after much squinting.

I don't wanna live like my mother

I don't wanna let fear rule my life

And I don't wanna live like my father

I don't wanna give up before I die

She wondered if any of them would be joining the team. Next year would be her last year at Vaughn, and then she'd be off to a College or University. Depending on her grades. She was often told that she had potential, she just didn't use it. Which was true, she was a good worker, she just didn't put in any effort or try hard enough.

When I have kids

I won't put any chains on their wrists

I won't

I'll tell them this

There's nothing in this world

That you can't be

If you want it enough

Arista's brain was foggy, everything had a softer edge to it, almost glowing. Amber looked like her skin was made of gold, and shone in her eyes. Bryan's hair was a shade of deep orange, Arista squinted and blinked, rubbed her eyes.

I don't wanna live like my mother

I don't wanna let fear rule my life

And I don't wanna live like father

I don't wanna give up before I die

"Bryany, your hair is orange!" Arista ran a hand through strands of silk.

He frowned half-heartedly, his lips curved into a genuine smile as her cool fingers ran through his hair, tickling his scalp. He slugged away her hand, listening to the many laughs that came from their friends.

I don't wanna live like my mother

I don't wanna let fear rule my life

And I don't wanna live like father

I don't wanna give up before I die

Enrique came and sat down on an empty chair. He flexed his fingers, resting them on the table. Amber laughed, clutching the table to stop from falling over. A pair of hands came down on her shoulders, supporting her. She leaned her head back into a strong chest, her ochre eyes met with ocean blue. She stared questioningly, not recognizing the blonde.

"Hi?" Amber asked with uncertainty at the male supporting her.

"Hi." He flashed her a charming smile. "you're Amber, right?" His voice was masculine and strong, coated with an accent.

"Yeah." Amber nodded.

"How did you know? Are you physic?"

The newcomer turned to Arista, grinning stupidly.

"No, Brooklyn told me all about you guys."

"He did huh?" Arista turned her attention to the smirking red-head, she mustered up the strength to put on a serious face.

"Yeah, he-"

She interrupted him. "Just to let know, I don't have a big mouth."

"He-"

Arista stopped him mid-sentence, held up a hand. "It's rude to interrupt someone, you know?"

The blonde stared amused at the female. He nodded in acknowledgement, waited for her to continue. Arista smiled.

"Just so you know as well," She continued on, "I don't like to run around pretending I'm an airplane."

Brooklyn snickered. "Yeah, you like to think you're a helicopter."

"Shut up!" She mumbled.

"Okay, I'm Mystel. I've known Brooklyn since we were kids." He smiled at Arista.

Amber smiled up at Mystel. "Sit down." Sonia patted the seat beside her, gesturing him to sit there. Ozuma had gone to get refills.

"Thanks."

"Hey!" Arista cried out.

Shahero who'd drifted asleep on Hitoshi's lap, awoke with a start. "Where's the fire?"

Hitoshi rested his head on top of hers. "In your hair." He mumbled into her hair, smelling the cinnamon scent.

Shahero swatted her hand over her head, poking Hitoshi's face. He yelped in surprise, arousing many snickers.

"More like on your hair." Amber stated, then laughed at her friend's predicament.

"Quick, put it out!" Arista poured a cup of water on the two, soaking them. They mumbled illogical swear words before leaving to dry themselves off.

Bryan looked down at his yawning cousin, she leaned into his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her, noticing the bags under her eyes. He made a mental note to ask her about it later, then pulled her closer to him.

Arista poked Mystel in his arm to get his attention. "You're from the assembly from yesterday, right?" He nodded.

"Way to state the obvious, Colombo."

"Hey! Stop being so mean to me." Arista pouted at the group of people sitting with her. "You're hurting my feelings."

"You have feelings?" Ozuma asked, sitting down beside Bryan. His gaze momentarily lingered on Sonia and the blonde beside her. His eyes flickered with annoyance.

"No, she's a robot remember?" Amber piped up.

"You talking is slurred." Sonia said, her gaze focused solely on Arista.

"Yeah, I guess we forgot she's drunk." Brooklyn smirked. "She takes twice as long to say things now."

Arista, annoyed now, got up and sat down beside Rei and Mariah. She paled when she noticed what they were doing. "Aw man. They're sucking each other's faces."

She left in order to find a new place to sit, but no such luck. When she couldn't find anyone else she knew she came back to Amber and shoved her lightly, shifting the females position. Amber protested and moved back.

"Fine." She growled. She went around and sat down in Bryan's lap, soaking up his warmth.

"I'll just sleep. Wake me up in a few years, will ya?" She rested her head on Bryan's chest, and curled her arms around him in a sleeping embrace. She yawned before her unconscious mind took over, dulling her senses and hearing until everything was black.

-O-

**Read and review please!!**


	11. Chapter 10: Punk Rock Princess

13 Shades of Grey

Chapter 10: Punk Rock Princess

Hello! It's me again with another update. I probably won't update anytime soon after this, so enjoy! Thankies to everyone who reviewed. You all get cookies. If you review you get... socks! Come on, free socks!! Who can resist? Not me for one, my feet are freezing.

**Disclaimer:** Arista is my creation. Amber belongs to Zadien. Coors and her hockey stick own Shahero. SpitfireSae owns Sonia. Miyami is the sole property of UnluckyStar/ChibiTari, and Aspin is Animerles'. The concept of the cpinny tops and all original characters belong to Aoki Takao.

**unknown:** Yup, Halloween was fantasteriffic. What about you? I was a vampire, at first. But my teeth were hurting so I took off my fangs. My cape snagged on something so it ripped. I took it off too. So I was left with just my bloodified face and skull t-shirt. It was really fun though. I got so much candy, and I still have some left though I doubt I'll ever find it in the dump that is my room. Merry freakin' Christmikkah to you too, lol. Glad you liked the last chapter. Hope you like this one too, enjoy!

**anonymous:** Hello, glad you liked it. So far this is my favourite chapter. Here's the update.

**la-de-da:** Yeah, well long time no update either. Lol. Glad ya liked it, and I'll try making them longer. It's just that it was only the ex. game and it wasn't a big part of it in the first place. I love them too. Coors got me addicted. Err, well I updated so is this soon enough?

**unknown:** Nope, Arista doesn't like Bryan as far as I know. He's a sort of older brother/protector figure for everyone. Kai and Ams get together around about Christmas time. Not that far off but they're still stuck in October. Not sure how that will work out. Anywho, enjoy the chapter and thanks for reviewing.

**Chiharu-Chan:** Glad you like it so much. I lovies Brooklyn. Even though he's an ass sometimes, I still love him.

**bakurakat:** Yay! You like it! It is hard to find Brooky ficlets actually. Now that I think about it. But that's prolly because he's like a newer character though.

**Gems:** Wish Panda would do the same for me and be nice. Yes she is. We love them both and if they're not together somehow we all know something is terribly wrong. Uhm, I'm not sure I remember it exactly but I loved my s/n too. -Gasps for air- More Brooklyn and Arista? You think we should have more? -Goes wide eyed- Gems, I don't know. I mean we're talking Brooklyn and Arista... Are you sure? Because now I'll have to try and put more of them... What is the world coming too? -Shakes head- But, Since you asked... -Grins like a maniac- In fact, you deserve two brownies. Yay! And a medal! Hey! His hair is not a toupé! It's perfect the way it is. -Sniffles- You'll get more. Now I'm off... To see the wizard!! The wonderful wizard of Oz!! Lol!!

**0bs3ssi0n:** I remember you, and I guess I casually know you now?But of course, my computer, Panda, is screwedtoo.Sure it's okay. Except I think you read this chapter already.Lol, yeah. Practically almost everyone is a funny drunk most of the time. I totally agree, Kai and Amber not together means that the world is so totally screwed up.Here's the update. Thanks for reviewing and enjoy!

* * *

Ruin was drawn out of her dreams by Ian's angry yelling. The minute Russian sure had a voice, despite his tiny form. Ruin grumbled, got up reluctantly. She hated to be woken out of her sleep at this early in the morning, sunlight was barely visible. Only a few rays were seeping in through the blinds, closed last night by Aspin. It was impossible to fall asleep again, so she got up and stretched, yawned, blinked away sleep from her eyes. 

Since she'd come back, she'd been much happier. Getting away from her parents was good for her; she'd missed her friends a lot as well. When she was finally awake she watched the comedy of Ian and Amber unfold before her.

Ian stood by Amber's bed, shaking her roughly. The ochre eyed teen was roused slowly. She'd lost her voice temporarily so she couldn't utter a single word or profanity. Ian didn't seem to mind too much, he was doing all the talking, not wanting to hear Amber's lame excuses.

Amber rolled her eyes and got up. No point in pretending she was asleep with her eyes wide open. She passed Aspin and Sonia on the way to the washroom, both who were still asleep in their beds. "Lucky." Amber growled to herself, thought it sounded more like a gurgle than a word.

Ian came behind her, spun her around and faced her. His dark eyes narrowed towards her, glittering dangerously, teeth bared in anger, eyebrows slanted. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a picture of himself in female form.

Amber recognized it as the one Miyami had drawn in detention. She stifled a snigger as Ian's face reddened. He shoved it into his pants pocket.

"How many did you print?" His voice was low, and deep.

Amber shrugged.

"Damn it! How many?"

He tried to push her against the wall. Since he was practically the same height as her, it didn't have much impact and only caused her to stumble back a few steps.

She sure as hell didn't want to deal with this right now. Snickering inwardly at how funny the picture was, her eyes filled with mirth. Ian poked his index finger roughly on her collar bone, erupting a shrill intake of breath from the ochre eyed teen. She bruised easily and didn't want his finger marks on her skin. She pushed his hand away roughly.

Her eyes narrowed in his direction. From her bed, Ruin made a move to get up, stopped when Amber's hand came up signalling her to stop what she was planning to do.

"I don't think Gerro will buy your excuse of Ian having committed suicide. Besides, It's only been a week since you came back."

"Har har." Ruin deadpanned to Arista's comment.

Her hair was tousled from restless sleep. Arista was a light sleeper, and adding in her alcohol consumption from the day before, she would have one hell of a hangover. Bags of dark shadows formed under her glinting eyes. The darkness in the room made her look ghastly pale and weary. Her comforter was drawn around her, emitting comforting warmth. She grinned slightly, one eye closed, and her mouth hanging open slightly in a yawn.

A pillow found it's way to Arista's head, making the Russian female wince in pain. She rubbed her head, mocking pain. She looked around for the wielder of the thrown pillow. Ruin sat smirking, but all her pillows were still there, Arista noted, after a quick count.

Shahero was sitting awake, having heard voices that had resulted in waking her from her slumber. She rubbed sleep from her eyes, surveyed the two teens in the centre of the room. She rose a brow and stared questioningly.

Ruin shook her head, grinning. Aspin was still sleeping, so were Sonia and Miyami. Shahero frowned, she wanted more sleep. It wasn't fair! And she'd been woken from a really nice dream. Involving Hitoshi. She blushed slightly, her cheeks tinged with pink, going unnoticed by her friends. The blunette was on her mind more and more lately. There was definitely some sort of physical attraction between them. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Shahero shook her head, shaking loose tangled bits of hair.

Amber growled when Ian persisted, stopping her again from entering the washroom. Angered, Amber turned away from him, pushing him forcefully in the process. He stumbled back a few steps, but blocked her path. He stood in the doorframe of the washroom, his dark eyes glinting dangerously.

"How many copies did you make?" His expression was angry, his voice laced with impatience and resentment.

Amber shrugged and tried to speak. Due to the fact she'd lost her voice, only a slur of mumbling came out. Ian growled with irritation.

"Is this somekind of a joke?" He asked, starting to lose his control.

Arista opened her mouth to retort something.

"Don't answer that." He gave her a glare of dislike. She resorted to sticking out her tongue and cursing him.

"Real mature." Shahero said dryly.

"Oh yeah? You want mature? Take this!" Arista threw one of her many pillows at Shahero.

"Oi!" Shahero deflected it with her fist, sending the cottony headrest flying to the floor, where it landed with a dull thud.

Amber snickered, stopped when her throat itched, causing her to rub it impulsively.

Annoyed, Shahero picked up one of her own pillows and flung it at Arista. It hit her in the middle of her forehead. Arista cringed and rubbed her head, spilling her streaked hair over her shoulder. Shahero snickered, ducked when Arista aimed a shot for her.

Ruin resisted the urge to roll her eyes. In the end she decided she'd join in. Besides, her aim was better than Shahero's and Arista's put together. She smirked before barricading her fellow friends with soft, fluffy pillows. Groans of misery rang out through the dorm, followed by the thuds and yells of the girls.

Ian stared half amused, half confused. _What a bunch of weirdo's_, he concluded, then left glaring death threats at Amber's back, while she made her way into the washroom The door closed with a 'click', signifying that it had been locked. He'd get her later. But he couldn't help wondering about her voice, though. Couldn't stop his brain from wondering how she'd lost it, and how bad it was. Whatever, he shrugged his shoulders, made his way past the many trinkets, items, and knick-knacks on the floor. He'd reached the door, his hand on the handle, twisting it slowly, when a pair of arms snaked around him, pulling him back into the dormitory. A cry of shock came escaped Ian, he fell when the supporting pair of hands let go of him. Getting up he spun around and came face to face with Shahero. Amber popped out from behind her, leered into Ian's face, pushed him back into the wall, then stuck out her tongue and made a 'V' with her fingers.

"That's for waking her up." Shahero said, speaking for Amber.

"This," Shahero knocked him down, landed an uppercut to his jaw, and a punch to his gut, "this was for waking me up."

She smiled sweetly, then kicked him. Arista, who was too tired from her lack of sleep, and the hangover she had, settled for throwing a pencil case at him. It bumped his forehead, fell on his lap and opened, spilling the contents.

Amber snickered, but only succeeded in making weird noises, earning odd looks from Arista and Shahero. Ian was on too much pain to care, he groaned and tried to pick himself off. Merely to fall back down from stress, and ache.

Shahero turned away from him, went to her drawer grabbing her towel and clothes. She stepped into the washroom. A few seconds later, she had stripped and turned on the water. She stepped into the tub, the shower on, sprinkling water over her small body. She soaked in the radiance of the water, enjoying the warmth.

Her hair stuck to her forehead, dripping water. Her body was covered in droplets of water, sodden with the moist liquid. She smiled and could've stayed in longer, except she didn't want to use up all of the warm water. Reluctantly she turned off the shower, after shampooing her hair with Herbal Essences.

She stepped out of the tub, dripping wet. Shahero took her towel from the towel rack on the wall and wrapped it around herself. Her skin was smooth and satiny to the touch, she put on her clothes. A pair of black cargo paints, way too big for her, a blue tank top, and Amber's _Lost Prophets _hoodie.

She grabbed an indiscriminate towel and used it to dry off her hair. When it was mostly dry she found a comb and dragged it through her hair, pulling at the tangles. A knock on the door had her surprised and accidentally, she dropped the comb.

Frustrated, Shahero opened the door. Her sapphire eyes met the tired green ones of Aspin. She got out of the washroom to let the purple haired girl take her turn, but not before grabbing the brush from the floor.

Shahero sat on her bed and yanked it through her hair, causing a hiss to arise from her throat. Miyami, who'd awoken a few minutes earlier, tsk'ed and pulled the comb from Shahero's hand. She sat behind her and gently worked her way through the tangled in the females hair.

Shahero viewed her friends. Sonia; who was still sleeping, Arista; who was sitting up, flipping through a Video Game magazine, and Amber who was tugging on her socks, trying to get them on without ripping them apart. Aspin was in the shower, and Miyami behind her. Ruin was staring up at the ceiling, a far away look in her eyes. _She seems dazed_, Shahero noted, _probably thinking up ways to help me torture Brent_.

Shahero still had yet to pay him back for cheating on her. Sure she had beat the crap out of him a couple of times, she'd spilled paint on his car, and had teepee'd his house. She'd even signed him up for a birthing course, but it wasn't enough. Would never be enough to erase all the pain and hurt that aroused turmoil in her head. The mental scars had mostly vanished, though they would never completely go away, she knew. It hurt to be used like that, but she had gotten over it. Still was, though unbeknownst to her. She never realised that she often flinched when she thought back to memories of her ex, or how her eyes would dull and harden, to an almost black sort of shade. That was part of the physical pain that was left behind. She'd gotten herself sick, vomiting, not eating, never sleeping, constantly thinking what she'd done wrong, when in fact it was all Brent's fault.

Miyami noticed how stiff Shahero had gotten, she stopped brushing the now tangle-free hair, and patted her back.

"Are you okay?" She asked concerned.

"Huh?" Shahero looked back, smiled. "I'm fine."

And just to prove it she jumped off the bed and grabbed a pillow, flinging it across the room at Sonia. Miyami looked sceptically, not falling for Shahero's act.

Sonia awoke with a start, her eyes open in alarm. She sat up, pulling the blankets around her as if that would stop the onslaught of pillows. Her blue, blue eyes narrowed when she met the glinting mirth in Shahero's.

The Australian sighed, then fell back down on her fortress of pillows, desperately seeking sleep. Her mind was a complete blur of missing thoughts, and absences. She tried to fill in the blank, trying to remember what she had done the following evening. All she could remember was that she had had a lot of alcohol, and how good Ozuma had looked. Though in her opinion, he always looked good. Her eyelashes fluttered closed as sleep seeped into her body, lulling her brain into a comatose state.

"Meh." Amber stood up after stuffing her laces in her worn out runners.

"What's the point of shoe laces anyways?" Arista asked out loud.

"To tie them." Shahero deadpanned.

"No, I mean why though? Do they make it look better? They just take up time trying to untangle them, when really we could do without them."

Aspin stepped out of the shower, dripping from head to toe. She rose her eyebrows, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"Gee, we're so evolved we're talking about shoe laces." She muttered sarcastically.

"Uh-huh."

Arista shrugged and grinned. She chucked her magazine at the violet haired female. Ran in the washroom before something was hurled back at her.

-O-

Arista and Shahero sat eating ice cream, Amber was flicking french fries at people walking out of the shop. Miyami was sitting with Johnny, the two of them sharing a sundae together. Aspin was talking animatedly to Kane about something or other, he wasn't exactly paying attention, but nuzzling her neck instead. Aspin didn't seem to mind. Mariah and Rei were ordering lunch, Oliver writing down their order. Ruin sat beside Tala, Bryan on her other side. The three were playing SOS on part of the tablecloth. All in all, the Friars Rest was packed with students from Vaughn Academy.

Ambers gaze flicked to Kai's as he sauntered into the small hang out. He ignored the fact that the object of his thoughts and affection was staring him in the face, not knowing how to respond. The french fry in Ambers hand was rolled back on a spoon. At the slightest quiver it would launch, and the greasy, ketchup-covered food would land on the bluenettes' clothes, or worse, his face.

And what a face he had. His bone structure was godly, his complexion creamy soft and silky. His cheeks were rosy from the harsh winds of October outside. They had a glow about them, causing her heart to swell a bit. His eyes, the rich and deep mahogany, swirled, roaming the restaurant for familiar faces. He decided he wouldn't sit with Tala for Bryan's sake. He could feel Ambers gaze on him, he chose to ignore it for the time being and searched for other friends to associate himself with. Fuck, he hadn't known Amber would be here. Didn't she have a part-time job or something?

When he found no one but Brooklyn and Hitoshi, he decided to glance over to the side where Amber sat, the spoon and fry stationary in her hands. His gaze pierced through her, sending a chill down her spine. She was still in awe of how handsome he was. She had never really had a proper crush before, she wasn't sure what this feeling was, but it had hit her with all it's might.

Kai absently dusted a thin, filmy layer of frost off his jacket. Amber sighed, he was going to ignore her, just like she had been doing him. How was it that he could do this to her?

Her legs felt shaky, and weak. She gave a silent prayer to the Goddess that she was sitting down. Her hand shook slightly.

In an instant the movement had traveled through her hand to her fingers, to the spoon and through the french fry. It landed smack-dab on Kai's shoulder. Amber flinched, her eyes widening even more now. A sharp intake of air flooded oxygen to her lungs, but she couldn't seem to swallow. Couldn't tear her eyes away.

Kai had a look of mild annoyance. He flicked the fry off and turned, sat with Hitoshi and Brooklyn. Completely ignoring Amber.

If she was going to plan on apologizing he didn't want to hear it. He allowed himself to be drawn into Hitoshi and Brooklyn's' conversation about cars.

Across the small diner, Amber sat perplexed about what she should do. She wasn't going up to him, no doubt about that. She had to apologize to him though, about this and anything else she'd done to anger him. When he was mad at her she couldn't take it. Her enemies got mad at her, but he made it worse. Made her feel like she had a ton of leaden guilt on her chest, wouldn't be able to breathe until it was lifted.

She remembered when he'd kissed her. That same feeling, the one she couldn't place her finger on, rose up in her throat. She swallowed with some difficulty. Kai always got under her skin, it was the same problem now. She didn't want to deal with it, so she was pretending it never happened, pretending it never existed. That was what she usually did, but not this time. This time she couldn't run away from her problems, didn't want to face the fact she might actually like Kai Nicolai Hiwatari.

Arista and Shahero's squabbling broke her out of her thoughts.

"Nuh-uh, chocolate ice cream is better."

"Uh-uh," Arista argued back. "Butterscotch ripple is the bestest!"

Shahero gave a half-smile, closed her eyes and then reopened them. "Arista, choc-o-late!" She repeated slowly.

"Nuh-uh! Butter-scotch Ripple! Say it with me now," Arista smirked back.

"Oi, both of you shut up." Johnny rounded on them.

"No." They argued back.

"Yes."

"No!"

"Yes."

"No!"

"Yes."

"Yes!" The shouted together.

"No!" Johnny shouted back.

"Okay, fine." They grinned together happily.

Johnny skulked and shoved a spoon full of sundae in his mouth, he let the spoon hang in his mouth, savouring the chocolaty taste.

Amber patted Johnny's arm sympathetically. "Don't worry, J. In a few years..." She paused for dramatic emphasis. "You might get over it!"

Laughter broke out from the occupants of the table, several eyes watched the group of friends situated on the far left corner of the Friars Rest. They earned several odd glares, causing them to laugh even harder.

"I wonder what they're laughing about?" Hitoshi asked Kai, noting that the two-toned bluenette had hardly said a word. Hitoshi nodded his head towards Shahero and the rest.

"Dunno." Kai replied sullenly.

"Belyaev probably saw her face." Brooklyn replied absently.

Hitoshi snickered quietly. The red-head smirked, sipping his drink.

Kai shrugged. Arista and him got into trouble together sometimes. They had genuine respect for each other on and off the ice. He really hadn't a problem with her other than her occasional habit of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.

What got to him was the fact that Amber had so easily focused her attention away from him again. He had caught her sneaking glances over at him. He wondered just what it was about him that repulsed her. Losing himself to brood in his thoughts again, he turned, shifted his gaze elsewhere. Anywhere.

-O-

Arista watched the cars pass by outside the Friars Rest. She sighed, sipped her drink. It sloshed around in her mouth. She savoured the flavour and looked glumly at the now empty cup. Around her, her friends either danced or were eating while Johnny sang the words to Punk Rock Princess.

Maybe when the room is empty,

Maybe when the bottles full,

Maybe when the door gets broke down,

Love can break in

Amber sat beside the Russian and ate ice cream, her eyes going cross from brain freeze every so often. Miyami started playing the keyboard as Johnny continued singing. Shahero strummed the strings of her bass, bringing it to life. Kai followed her actions and started playing his own bass.

Maybe when I'm done with thinking,

Maybe you can think me whole,

Maybe when I'm done with endings this can begin

This can begin, this can begin

Hitoshi sat mesmerized by the blunette, he watched intently while she sang back up vocals with Johnny and Miyami. Kai was the only one who remained quiet, not opening his mouth to sing. Beside him on either side Mystel and Brooklyn sat, playing cards. Mystel had come around later, after getting a tour of the town from someone or other. Although what game they were playing Hitoshi didn't care to notice. He was entranced by the tomboyish female on stage.

If you could be my punk rock princess,

I would be your garage band king

You could tell me why you just don't fit in,

And how you're gunna be something

Ruin and Tala sat together, enjoying each others comfort. Ruins head was laid on Tala's shoulder, his arm around her protectively. Kane was drawing something on paper, mumbling and nodding his head with Ian and Kevin. Oliver was taking orders and serving the customers of his family's restaurant.

Maybe when your hair gets darker,

Maybe when your eyes get wide,

Maybe when the walls are smaller,

There will be more space

The silver haired female got up to throw away her empty cup to order an ice cream so she could get a brain freeze too. Amber sighed and breathed behind her. Arista smiled and followed Oliver around until he stopped what he was doing.

Maybe when I'm not so tired,

Maybe you can step inside,

Maybe when I look for things that I can't replace

I can't replace, I can't replace

"What?" He asked her.

"I want ice cream," She grinned happily, "with butterscotch ripple and chocolates!"

Oliver offered a smile then left, only to return a moment later with her order.

If I could be your first real heartache,

I would do it over again

If you could be my punk rock princess,

I will be your heroin

I never thought you'd last,

I never dreamed you would

You watch your life go past

You wonder if you should

If you should be my punk rock princess,

So I would be your garage band king

You could tell me why you just don't fit in,

And how you're gunna be something

Arista sat back down and began eating. She stopped after one spoonful to shiver, and shake her head. Amber laughed beside her, and pushed her half eaten bowl in front of her. She didn't really eat, and when she did it was hardly anything. Arista took a few breaths to get used to the cool numbing of a brain freeze and then took another spoonful.

If I could be your first real heartache,

I would do it over again

If you could be my punk rock princess,

I would be your heroin

Amber's gaze briefly rested on the dancing bodies in the centre of the hang out before they roamed over her friends on the stage. She met Shahero's gaze and gave a small grin, pointing to Hitoshi. Shahero, confused, turned and looked to where the raven haired girl was pointing. Her eyes narrowed into slits, and she lowered her voice so that it was barely heard over Johnny's. She used her left hand to give Hitoshi the finger. Hitoshi only ignored her gesture and smirked unmoved.

Woah-oh, you know

You only burn my bridges

Woah-oh, you just can't let it sink in

You could be my heroin

You could be my heroin

Amber smirked. Hitoshi and Shahero would be so cute together... What was she thinking? Cute together? Yeah right! Shahero would bite his head off, regurgitate it, castrate him, burn him, then ship him off to Germany! She wondered how much ice cream she had eaten, then froze when her eyes locked with Kai's.

She wanted so badly to tear her eyes away, only to find she couldn't. She cursed him for having such beautiful eyes. She'd been able to ignore him for pretty much the whole week. In class, she's put as much distance between them as she possibly could. She hadn't even acknowledged his presence at practice, and Arista hadn't said anything. She was thankful for that. The loudmouthed teen was really good at saying the wrong things at the wrong time.

Kai watched her for emotions, anything that would help interpret what she was feeling or thinking. Pangs of hurt squeezed their way into his heart, leaving him feeling open and confused. Why did she have to be the way she was? Couldn't she just tell him what she felt instead of acting like he was Mr. Invisible? What hurt was that he knew her well enough to know how she thought. It hurt that she could shove her problems into the back of her mind and pretend that nothing had happened. That there was nothing between them.

A bunch of dancers started there way into a conga line led by Enrique. Johnny jumped off the stage, not wanting to do an encore even though the crowd cheered for one. Miyami jumped into his arms and they joined the line. Shahero nudged Kai, breaking his train of thought. She gave him her bass and jumped off the stage as well. But not before hurling water balloons at Hitoshi, soaking him.

Where she had gotten them, Kai didn't know, he turned around to put the basses away. To his surprise he found a small supply of balloons filled with water. He thanked the Gods and Goddesses that Shahero was small, otherwise she would've taken all the balloons. He put his bass in it's case, and put Kaeto's away as well.

Maybe his relationship with Amber was too serious. That was the problem. He could fix that. If Amber needed space, she would get it. They'd have to trust each other before anything else could happen. Yeah, he lifted a blue one in his hand. Friendship was the way to take it. Then slowly take it further. He looked around for Amber.

Here I go.

* * *

This is my favourite chapter so far, anyways,read and review plz. You know you want those socks! Merry Chrismikkah and a Happy New Year!! 


	12. Chapter 11: Ready? Set, Run!

13 Shades of Grey

Chapter 11: Ready? Set, Run!

-oOoOo-

Frost twinkled on the ground, glittering brightly. The sun shone down on the school grounds, spreading light scattering across the frozen soil. The trees were bare, glistening with ice. A small pond was frozen near the beginning of the forest to the left of the academy.

Arista came out of the doors of the building, she had just finished Brooklyn's lunch detention. Today was the last day that he owned her. Smiling giddily, she stuck out her tongue as far as it would go to catch the scarce snowflakes falling from the sky. A few landed on her tongue. She closed her mouth and savoured the salty taste.

Her head was covered in a black toque with a Nike checkmark, silver hair spilled out like silk. Her cheeks were rosy, her eyes gleaming, liquid-like. Her rainbow mitten-clad hands were stuffed deep into her pockets, serving as a shelter from the cold.

A chill breeze ran through the air, sending frost flying around, twinkling as it caught the sunlight. Arista felt like she was inside a snow globe. Snowflakes danced in the air, swirling around her, then landing back on the floor.

She took a few steps down the stairs, carefully avoiding the icy parts. When she reached the fourth last step, she stopped, jumped down. Arista, luckily, landed on her feet and grinned in triumph.

She reached in her coat pocket looking for gum. She found some and took it out. Unwrapping it, Arista popped it into her mouth and started chewing. When it was soft enough she started to blow a bubble.

While she walked, the bubble grew bigger and bigger. When she couldn't see where she was going because of the size of the blue bubble, she stopped walking. There was no air left in her lungs, so she stopped blowing to breath in and out.

Only to find the bubble still in tact. Her navy eyes went alarmingly wide, she blew air out again, agonizingly slow due to the lack of it.

It grew even bigger, and finally popped.

"Ah!" Arista cried out. But it was muffled because of the gum on her face.

Instinctively she took out her mittened-hands and tried to pull it off. The sticky substance stuck to her face, and stretched onto her gloves. Somehow in the middle of it all, she tripped.

The air whooshed out of her lungs, leaving her breathless and cold. Grumpily, Arista managed to get up. She frowned and pulled her mittens off, leaving them hanging off her face.

Struggling to get the gum off her face, she fell again. In the process she bumped her elbow on her knee and yelped in pain. A numbing feeling spread it's way to the length of her arm.

"Grr!"

A frown flirted with her lips, her eyebrows narrowed as did her eyes. Why had she done to deserve this? She smiled sheepishly remembering that she had shrunk all of Brooklyn's clothes in the dryer. He wouldn't be too happy when he found out. Served him right for making her do his laundry. She had enough trouble doing her own. She either put in too much detergent, not enough detergent, or put in the wrong thing.

Standing up she stuffed her mittens in her pockets, dusted off snow from herself and sweeped her hair out of her face. She tried to get the gum off her face, but it was no use. The sticky pink substance wasn't letting go. What got gum off?

She was interrupted from her thoughts though, because Amber and Kai rushed past her, sending her spiralling to the ground again. She grumbled, but was pleased that things had cooled off between them. The tension that had settled around them had made everyone else awkward too. Not to mention the fact that Bryan had wanted to murder Hiwatari as soon as he'd noticed Amber's increased resentment towards the two-toned blunette.

She watched as the two flung snowballs at each other, laughing like children. The thought made her smile. It was so good to have them back to normal. Or as normal as things got with Arista and her friends.

-oOoOo-

Amber whirled around so quickly that Kai bumped into her. His head banged on hers, but she recovered first. He never saw the snow coming and swore viciously when it collided with his face. He took a step back and blinked through lashes coated with snow. Amber laughed but quickly turned around and started to run as an evil smirk formed upon Kai's handsome features.

She yelped as something cold slid down the back of her neck, to nestle inside her jacket. Kai's arms slithered around her waist, casually. He sure as hell didn't want to push his luck any further than Amber talking to him again. He felt like a little kid that had a plate full of cookies and a cup full to the brim with milk. And all for him. She turned around to face him, scowling with annoyance. He smiled, real and genuine, accenting his already striking face. His lips spread, showing his pearly white teeth in two rows. His cheeks, rosy from the windy conditions, were set on high cheekbones, accenting his nose and eyes, the colour of a deep, rich mahogany. Amber blushed but it wasn't visible because her cheeks were rosy too, no doubt for the same reason.

Her lips slid from a scowl to being parted slowly, as her gaze dipped down to Kai's lips, then to his collar bone, where his pulse beat steadily. When she raised her gaze to meet his eyes, she nearly drowned in the unfathomable depths. Unconsciously, Amber ran her tongue around her dry lips, then swallowed loud enough for him to hear.

Kai's breath fanned on her skin, warm and comfortable like silk. His arms around her waist were about the only thing keeping her upright or she would have likely fallen. The snow in her back was melting, trickling down her back with little, tiny droplets. She felt heat creep to her neck as the cool, slick, water ran down her spine, tickling her mercilessly.

When she couldn't hold it in any longer, she grinned suddenly and then giggled, turning into a laugh as she tried to get the snow out from her jacket. Kai nearly swore again but caught himself just before the words that he would've regretted spilled out of his mouth.

Instead he smiled, hoping she hadn't noticed the disappointment on his face when she's turned away from him. The smile didn't reach his eyes, but he supposed it wasn't meant to. He'd lost a perfect opportunity to prove that his kissing her hadn't been a fluke as she'd somehow convinced herself.

Amber caught the gleam of regret in his eyes, but ignored it. After all, what she didn't or couldn't understand, she would rather not deal with. His arms loosened their hold on her, but miraculously she could still stand.

"Cold, cold, cold!" She managed to say before she started hopping again to get it out.

Kai rolled his eyes. Amber was and forever would be an immature little girl. But she would be his immature little girl_friend _soon enough, he hoped.

"If you stop hopping like a rabbit then I'd be able to he help you."

"If you hadn't put the freaking snow in my shirt I wouldn't need your help." She exclaimed impatiently.

"So you don't want my help." He made it a statement, rather a question.

"What, are you out of your ever-loving mind? Of course I want your help. It's fucking cold!"

Kai gave a wistful expression, before he stood behind her and pulled back her jacket. It seemed impossible to get the snow out without choking her, since her jacket was zipped out to her chin.

"Take off your jacket, Ember."

"So you want me to die now too?" She asked grumpily.

"Yes, then I can bury you six feet under." Amber raised a brow at his sarcasm.

He gave a sigh and decided to explain. "No, but you probably will. Look, if you want the snow out then I have to get it out, right?" Amber nodded, so he continued. "So either you have to unzip your jacket or take it off."

"Yeah, so what?" Amber retorted. She didn't want to freeze to death in the chill air, but she didn't want to catch a cold either.

"But your jacket only unzips a little bit because it's broken and you don't want a new coat." Kai explained.

"New stuff always takes time to break in." She complained.

"Do you want the snow out or not?" Kai deadpanned.

"I do, I do!" She replied snappily.

"I do too." Kai kissed the curve of her neck, savouring the taste of the floral scent. "So where will our honey moon be..._darling_?"

Amber stood stock still. Kai had kissed her. Again. Shit. She stood frozen until Kai's voice wrung through her ears, sending her back to the world.

"Ember? Ember, are you okay?"

"I... you, I..." She trailed off again as her gaze wandered restlessly. Her blood rushed around her head, buzzing in her ears. What did he mean by kissing her? Did this change things between them?

She felt uncomfortable there, and even with her mind screaming to get away, she stood there like a stone statue. Frozen in time. Until Kai spun her around, making them come face to face.

"Kai..." His name just tumbled from her mouth, and she wondered what it would feel like to have his lips on hers, just one more time.

He was way ahead of her, his gaze resting on her slightly parted lips. All he wanted was her. Too bad Bryan didn't think he was good enough for his little cousin.Bryan pushed theblunette back, and before he knew it, he was on the ground. Things usually got a lot more complicated with Amber Benson around. What a joy, he thought sarcastically.

-oOoOo-

Brooklyn picked up his clothes, or rather shoved them into his closet. He was actually going to miss having Belyaev around. She was around him for most of the past weeks, and he sort of dreaded the thought of her not being there with him. It would just feel odd without her witty comments, or odd thoughts. She was so opinionated that he had actually grown used to her voice.

The way it dropped or rose in tone depending on her mood. Or the way it vaguely ran through Russia so when she spoke, her voice was accented. Some of her pronunciations were thicker than others. He frowned, how had he noticed so much about her? She used to be just a girl he could irk for entertainment. But he felt that he could talk to her like he was her friend.

Him and her, friends? As if! No way in Heaven, Hell, or Purgatory.

Chuckling, Brooklyn shook his head, clearing his thoughts. Instead he went continued to gather the clothes from the floor so he could chuck them into the closet and drawers. They felt strangely different in his hands. He picked up his favourite black shirt with a red dragon imprint on the front. It looked smaller somehow.

He pulled it on over top of his white tank top, and groaned when it stopped short at the bottom of his ribs. Damn it, he was going to give Arista a good few chunks of his mind the next time he saw her. Even if he would miss her commentary, it would be good to be rid of her. She was damn annoying when she wanted to be and she knew it too, which made it all the more annoying.

Brooklyn growled and stared down at his beloved t-shirt. This was just like her. So typically her to get back at him because he'd made the stupid bet in the first place. He knew she'd challenge him back was the reason he'd done it, and the fact that it amused him to anger her.

It was like giving a gun to 'Bin Laden, he mused. Really stupid, but he liked to get her angry. He liked to get under her skin, to get Arista all riled up. She thought that no one could get to her but she was wrong so he took whatever opportunity he got to prove her wrong. And then watched the results.

The same thing that Hitoshi did with Shahero, except for the fact that he was completely hung up on her, obsessed with the blue-haired tomboy. Speak of the devil, Hitoshi ran in and slammed the door behind him.

His blue hair was wind-swept, and his breathing was the slightest bit heavier than normal. He was fit so a quick jog wouldn't tire him out. But a little tomboy would. Shahero's yelling was heard even with the door safely locked.

"Hitoshi, I'm going to kill you and mutilate your body. Then I'm going to burn you to a crisp and ship you off to some crazy old lady so she can make cookies with your ashes, you bastard!"

Brooklyn raised his eyebrows to the older male. Hitoshi gave that gallic shrug that could've meant everything or nothing. Brooklyn decided to let it go, wondering whether he really wanted to know or not. Better that he didn't, he comforted himself. Hitoshi had a sick sense of what was fun and merriment when it concerned Shahero Kaeto.

"What's with the shirt?" Hitoshi asked.

Hitoshi sat down on his bed and fished around for a magazine. He found one and started flipping through it, more interested in the rants still audible.

"Belyaev." Brooklyn almost snarled her name like it was something poisonous.

He had gotten that shirt as a present from his grandfather before he'd passed away. It was, or had been, his only memory of him.

"You guys get to fourth base already?" Hitoshi's voice rose at the end of the question, but his eyes held pools of mirth.

Brooklyn gave Hitoshi the one fingered salute then got a better idea. He went to the door and slowly opened it making no noise. Hitoshi's eyes were wide with panic and fear. He tried to get off the bed but succeeded in falling because his eyes were still on the door.

"You wouldn't." His voice was shaky.

"Try me." Brooklyn said patiently. He wouldn't really set Kaeto on Kinomiya, he just wanted to see that cool, collected facade fall and shatter.

He snickered and closed the door with a soft thud. Hitoshi got up, narrowed his eyes.

Brooklyn turned to lock the door only to find the handle was stuck or so he thought. Shahero had heard the door creek open a half of a millimetre and seized the chance with both hands in a death grip.

She checked the door and grinned smartly when it opened. Brooklyn fell to the floor with a small yelp. Hitoshi who had been angry with Brooklyn now turned his attention to Shahero.

God, Mary, and baby Jesus, he would never make it out alive. Brooklyn looked to Shahero and almost burst out laughing. Her hair was sopping wet, water droplets formed and dripped to the floor. She was dressed in a short tight skirt and a pink tank top. Her feet were bare, save for her skin. A devilish glint highlighted her sapphire eyes, her lips were set in a grim line.

She looked so funny because she was dressed as her own gender for a change. She wasn't wearing baggy clothes or the likes, so how had Hitoshi managed this?

Brooklyn supposed he would never find out because Shahero pounced on Hitoshi sending them both flying into the wall. Hitoshi collided with the solid wall, Shahero landed softly on him, getting right to work. She punched his gut and made an uppercut to his jaw, earning her painful groans from the male underneath.

Brooklyn supposed he should help but he wanted Hitoshi to suffer for his comment about him and Belyaev.

"Take that and smoke it in your pipe!" Shahero smirked, her face and body both radiating energy.

Hitoshi made an attempt to grab her hands but she had him straddled and from his angle, it just wouldn't work out for him.

Brooklyn sighed and decided he should step in now. He grabbed Shahero by the waist and plucked her off of his dorm-mate.

Shahero kicked and punched, but Brooklyn wouldn't let her go. Hitoshi got up, swaggered a bit before regaining control of his legs.

He took the female from Brooklyn and smirked. He opened his mouth but Brooklyn shook his head.

"I don't wanna know so save it." He stepped aside and walked out the door, shutting it behind him.

"So, where were we Kaeto?"

"_We_ weren't anywhere, but I was kicking the shit out of you!"

"I think we'll change the positions a little." Hitoshi corrected her.

"I don't think so buddy."

Shahero kicked his groin and freed herself. Having had enough of Hitoshi to last a life-time, she turned on her heel and into the washroom but not before grabbing some clothes from the piles on the floor. If she was going to have to wear a skirt for the day, well it had another thing coming. First she would burn the clothes and then punch the living daylights out of anyone who had seen her. Then she'd send threats up to Heaven or down to Hell, depending where the bodies ended up.

First she was going to change her clothes. How Hitoshi had entered the girls change rooms, she didn't know. She just knew that she would never shower in there ever again. No matter how sweaty she got after a practise, or a game. She'd rather shower in her dorms' washroom than a place where some peeping Tom could get in.

After Shahero was done changing her clothes she unlocked the door and came out of the washroom. Hitoshi was standing outside, smirking, waiting for her. Shahero narrowed her eyebrows and was about to walk past when he pinned her to the wall, making escape impossible. She struggled against him, but his patience wasn't that short. He'd make her his this year, or he'd never get over her. This was his last chance, last year, to make her like him. If he didn't accomplish this then he'd suffer from never knowing if she'd returned his feelings. Damned if he didn't get his way.

He held down her arms, and raked his gaze across her lips, settled in a pout. His smirk grew a bit bigger, before he lowered his mouth.

Shahero's eyes widened as she realised what he was about to do. She took a deep breath and braced herself. No matter how much she was attracted to him, she wouldn't get in a relationship with him. She wouldn't get hurt again. She wouldn't fall for someone who would end up leaving next year to go off to college.

-oOoOo-

Kai got up and stared at Amber. She looked to the ground the instant his eyes met hers. He frowned, fine. So she wasn't going to tell Bryan off. He could deal with that. He could leave her alone. He could run away from her. He would have to because if she kept pushing him away than he wouldn't know what he would do. It hurt to be cut off from her.

Angry, he dusted the snow off himself and walked away, brushing his arm against Amber's. She continued to look at the oh-so interesting snow covered ground. She was running away from him again. It was like a gun shot fired and she automatically started to run whenever he got close to her.

Freezing him out wasn't quite possible anymore because her feelings were changing even without her consent. She knew she'd end up falling for him, something she didn't want. He would complicate things, and he'd probably end up hurting her. That was what she was scared of. Getting hurt.

She couldn't stand it because her dad had left her scarred and mistrusting of others. If her friends weren't there for her when she'd needed them the most than she wouldn't be who she was today. If she liked Kai, she'd have to spend time with him, and she'd have less time with her friends. She didn't want to be apart from them, she loved them so dearly.

Confusion circled around in her mind like a vulture and it's prey. Bryan squeezed her hand reassuringly. He knew what was going on between Amber and Kai, and he'd do his best to stop it before Kai eventually hurt Amber.

-oOoOo-

Thanks to: Cokey, xInfernal, Wanted, Dark Nadeshiko, anonymous, Windwitch, Roni, eMily06, Obs3ssi0n, Beyblade-gal, and nise-anjel for reviewing. I appreciate all of you and your reviews/comments. I'll answer all questions and respond to all comments in the next chapter. Sorry for the long wait, it's been awhile.

_Hasta_, Arcada


	13. Chapter 12: Just Pretend

**13 Shades of Grey**

**Chapter 12: Just Pretend**

* * *

Arista rolled the gum around in her mouth, watching the sky outside, remembering how she'd gotten gum all over herself the other day. She resisted the urge to blow any bubbles. Outside, it was a cool, windy day. Leaves were rapidly falling off the trees to be lost in a sea of colour. She looked to the clock on the wall and checked the time. Twenty minutes until lunch. Sighing she looked around the class, studying the faces of her classmates.

Some of them were actually copying notes from the board, while some were talking and others were playing tic-tac-toe. Amber was sitting beside the Russian female, reading another one of the 'In Death' books. Arista decided to read more of the manga 'Angel Sanctuary', so she took it out of her bag and opened it to the spot she'd last stopped at.

She really hated science with a passion. Her teacher never explained anything and always gave them surprise quizzes without warning. She had really killed any chance that Arista might actually pay attention and listen to what she said.

Amber snickered at something she was reading; Arista turned to her ochre-eyed companion and raised a silver brow.

"What's so funny?" She whispered.

"Read it." Amber suggested.

Arista peered down at the text in the book and began to read. The bell rang making her jump; she lost her balance and fell out of the chair. The silver haired female landed on the floor with a soft thud, earning her laughs from her classmates and Amber.

"Har har." She grumbled and got up, dusting off her jeans.

"It was funny."

"Yeah, but it hurt." Arista reminded the teen walking alongside her.

"Hmmn."

Ambers thoughts were elsewhere as she slipped on her headphones and listened to the voice of Billie Joe. She could see everyone around her but she didn't really know why they were there or what she was doing. Her mind was focused on one person. Kai. Did she like him? She didn't want to but she did think he was good looking.

This was so confusing. She couldn't stop thinking about him and she felt so lost. Damn him for being who he was. It wasn't fair. She should have stuck up for him when Bryan knocked him down. She should have said something but she hadn't.

I should go and apologize, she thought.

"Amber!" Arista pulled Amber away just in time before the Irish teen hit the door. "Are you okay?"

"What?" Amber was so deep in her thoughts that she hadn't even realised where she'd been going.

"You were walking straight into the door, are you okay?"

Amber nodded. "I think so."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I gotta go do something."

"Want me to come with you?" Arista asked.

"No." Amber deadpanned. "I gotta apologize to Kai."

"Okay, well, I'm in the caf if you need me. See ya later."

"'Later." Amber waved and watched Arista disappear behind the doors of the cafeteria. She walked past and opened the door leading to the staircase.

She climbed slowly up until she reached the fourth floor. Amber kept walking past the dorms until she reached room number 483. She took a deep breath and let it out.

She knocked but heard no answer, so she knocked again. Still no answer. Might as well get it over with, she suggested to herself.

Her hand encircled the doorknob, she slowly twisted it, then opened the door a crack to look in. Opening the door enough to let herself in, she looked around for Kai. But immediately wished she hadn't. On Tala's bed were two figures. Tala and Ruin. And they were making out.

Amber turned her eyes away and stepped out of the dorm, closing the door behind her without making a noise. She took a few cleansing breaths and steadied her shaking hand.

"Dammit." She breathed.

Every time she came into Kai's dorm she saw something she didn't want to see. Last time it had been a naked Ian and that was enough to get her sick to her stomach. If Enrique had seen that it would enough to get him off the playboy subscription.

Amber shook her head and then sunk to the floor. Wait a second. The picture that Miyami had drawn, and Playboy magazine. Amber smirked and inwardly cackled at her stroke of genius. This was the perfect revenge for the big nosed Russian. Amber got up and slung her bag on her shoulder, walking away from the dorms. She had to find Miya so she could tell her the plan.

Amber broke out into a full-fledged run; her full lips set in a grin. Her amber eyes were shining with the idea of getting back at Ian. She opened the door to the stairs and bumped straight into Kai. The impact had her staggering back into the wall. Kai, who was bigger than her, moved back a step to regain his balance and clear his vision.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't looking whereKai?"

Kai looked up as he heard his name. Mahogany eyes met with amber and held them in for a second before he lowered them again. Great, like he needed another reason to be unhappy. Amber was killing him from the inside out. Why did she have to complicate things so much? He had succeeded in avoiding her so far but fate liked to be cruel to him.

"What?" Kai's voice was ethereally distant.

Amber's ochre eyes widened as she registered his image in her mind. His crimson eyes so dull and empty decorated by his lashes. His soft lips, the bangs that framed his face, shadowing out some of his features. Amber frowned when he didn't respond to her, she waved her hand in front of his face, but got no reaction. A sharp pain in her chest caught her off guard and she flinched, a small flicker of movement. Kai blinked, dazed, and then took in his surroundings. He ran his gaze over Amber and blinked again.

"What?" He repeated, blinking several more times.

"I said I was sorry for bumping into you." Amber's eyebrows narrowed slightly, as she ran her gaze over his untucked shirt, the sleeves rolled up. His tie was unfastened, and hanging loosely around his neck, his slacks were untied, and his pants were wrinkled, festooned with creases.

Kai grunted and made to walk past her, but she reached out and held onto his wrist. He stopped walking and stood stiffly.

"Let go."

"What's wrong Kai?"

He sighed. "Nothing, let go of me."

"Not until you tell me why you're being like this." When she got no reaction she continued on. "I know something's up with you. What is it?"

Kai growled, causing Amber to hold on tighter, her small hand encircled around his wrist feeling the rapidly increasing pulse beat faster. She frowned and held on, even though he tried to shrug it off.

Kai could feel his temper rising. She couldn't just leave him alone could she? He was sick of always trying to get her to notice him for him, instead of as her enemy. She just didn't understand and nothing he said or did ever improved his relationship with her.

Amber's pulse hitched as her hand turned warmer by the second. Her own pulse spiked, and she hoped that Kai didn't hear the noisy thudding of her heart. She had never reacted to him like this before, so what was going on? She was so confused, and lost.

"You don't get it, do you?" His voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "You just don't understand."

"Get what?" She retorted. Confusing Amber never got her in your good books. Puzzled, she loosened her grip due to the warm sensation that was spreading through her arm.

Kai flinched as he felt her recoil, almost laughed. Here he was, yet again, trying to get Amber to understand just what she meant to him, and she was just going to run away from him, _again_. He was just pretending that she liked him too, just pretending that she wouldn't hurt him. He had to get away from her. Get her out of his head. Somehow.

With a surge of annoyance, he pulled his wrist from her grasp and walked ahead briskly, leaving her behind. After all, it just wasn't worth it if she would just break his heart.

"It's not worth it." But even as he said it aloud, he knew that it wasn't true.

"What's not worth it?" Amber asked. When he didn't respond, she growled and sighed.

Men, she sighed, you couldn't live with and you sure as hell couldn't live without them because you needed someone to blame everything on.

oOoOo-

Arista laughed heartily as a spoonful of yoghurt landed in Enrique's hood. Miyami, and Shahero, who were situated on either side of her, snickered loudly at the baffled expression of the blonde. He really had no clue what was going on with the world, but then again, anything in a skirt always caught his attention.

"When are you going to grow up, Belyaev?"

Arista turned to the male behind her and gave him a one-fingered salute, which he returned without so much as a single remorse.

"What do _you_ want?" Navy, amber-flecked eyes narrowed as the redhead sat down beside Shahero.

"A lot of things." He responded nonchalantly.

"Suppity?" Shahero punched his arm.

"Yoders." Miyami welcomed him to the table.

"Hey! Do you not remember what he did to me? Huh?" Arista demanded.

Shahero shrugged. Arista turned to Miyami who gave an apologetic look. Arista sighed and then laid her head on her arms, splayed across the lunch table. She turned her head to the opposite side of the smirking male, so she wouldn't have to look at the smug smirk across his smooth, soft lips. She had enough time with him to last a few lifetimes.

Bryan sat down across Miyami, joined by Johnny, and Sonia. Johnny's tie was wrapped around his head, and his shirt was unbuttoned, the sleeves rolled three quarters of the way up. His red hair was in its usual flame, his violet eyes shone with desire as he ran his eyes over Miyami.

Sonia sat beside him, her red hair open, framing her small face. Her deep ocean blue eyes were shining with amusement. Her prefects' badge glinted when the light caught on it, so that it gleamed with radiance.

Bryan slung his bag on the floor and surveyed the teenagers currently situated on the chairs surrounding the table. He was surprised when he saw no raven-haired, ochre eyed, teen. Where was Amber?

Arista noticed his glancing and decided to answer his unasked question. "Amber said she had to do something, she ain't here yet."

"Isn't." Sonia corrected. "Amber _isn't_ here yet."

"And then we wonder why she's so bad at English." Johnny smirked.

"Go suck face with Miyami already." Arista shot back.

"He can't. Technically, he'd be making out with her, not sucking face." Shahero pointed out.

"Wow, you deserve an Olympic gold medal, Colombo."

"All hail down to Shahero." Miyami quipped, then did an act of raising and lowering her arms towards the blue eyed tomboy.

"That's right. I, Shahero, am your leader, and I demand that you obey my every command." She grinned toothily.

"Is one of them kissing Hitoshi? Because I'm sure he'd love to help you on that." Arista jibed.

Johnny raised his eyebrows at the female in question. "Did I hear correctly? Is our little Hero growing up?"

Shahero snarled and the kicked him hard under the table.

"Actually Hitoshi was just telling me how he wanted to-"

"Do you have a death wish?" Shahero interrupted Brooklyn, "Because I have a murder wish, and you're number one on my list."

"I thought that was Malkovich?" Arista quizzed her friend.

Miyami watched the race of emotions that crossed Shahero's face, none of them staying for more than a millisecond. She made a mental note to talk to her about it later.

"Nah, I got Ian back, remember? He's back to number two now that Brooklyn wants a turn."

"Huh, wouldn't it be a little too complicated for his brain to handle?"

"Nah," Shahero answered Arista's question, while Brooklyn gave an annoyed glance in her direction. "All he has to do is lie there. I think he can manage it."

"Hmmn, maybe not." Sonia added as an afterthought. "It takes someone with a brain at least the size of a peanut to do that. His isn't even the size of a grain of sand."

"But then that would mean he doesn't have one because that's too small for a brain size."

The group of friends save for Brooklyn and Bryan, all burst into a bout of laughter.

"Real mature." He stated sarcastically.

A figure stomped over to their table and sat down beside Miyami. Amber put her face in her hands and ran her hands through her hair. Miyami and Bryan turned their attention to her as the rest of the table conversed loudly, bursting into fits of laughter every now and then.

"What's up?" Miyami asked her friend.

"The sky?" Amber replied uncertainly.

"Are you okay?" Bryan's deep voice went in one ear and out the other. "Amber?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired I guess."

Bryan mulled it over in his head and assumed that something was wrong. Why hadn't Amber just told him? It wasn't like her to just keep things from him. She knew that it made him feel alone and unwanted, especially when she shut him out from his life. If he found out Hiwatari had something to do with this, he was going to pay.

"Come on babes, I know something's wrong besides you not getting enough sleep." Miyami persisted.

Amber sighed and wished that she could just get her to believe that she was fine. Even though she wasn't, she didn't feel like talking but talking would probably help her figure out just why she felt the way she did.

Amber raised her gaze and met Bryan's eyes. The instant that their eyes met, Bryan knew that it was Hiwatari's doing. He frowned and then left the table to search for the two-toned blunette.

Amber watched her cousin leaved and then lowered her head. When she reopened her eyes, she met the silver of Miyami's and opened her mouth, her voice barely above a whisper. "Can we talk?"

* * *

**Windwitch:** Detail is good. I imagine a lot of stuff too, but I'm surprised my brain can hold everything together without bursting. You may be on to something there. Hitoshi does at one point give up on Shahero. Only because he thinks she's just toying with his feelings. Thanks for reviewing and I'm glad you like my work. 

**Cokey:** Hey-hey! The weather is balmier? Like lip balm or like very nice weather. Because if it's the latter then it's the same here. I like that word, intermingled and I like the fact that you like my work.Lol, uncontrolled is right. My brain and my fingers don't co-operate with each other at the best of times. And that's not even half of it. Sailor moon doesn't play here anymore. But I've been a good gilr feeding my cravings with Inu Yasha, Beyblade, and other varios animes.Aha! So you admit it, you do like Brooklyn! I knew you'd turn eventually. Ah my dear, torture is good. Without it there wouldn;t much fun in doing things would there? Mystel is very drool-worthy, but Brooklyns way more. You're not alone with Bryan, I love him. And his posseiveness. Lol, your comments make my day alongwith everyone elses. And I believe that making fun in the most dire situations is a must have for someone who gets into them every so often.

**nise-anjel:** You have to watch out with Bryan. He's one tough cookie, or well, peanut, whichever you prefer. Arista did. After uch struggling get the gum off. I will explain that in the next chapter I hope. When I get around to writing it.

**eMily06:** Thanks for revieiwng and I'm glad you like it. Enjoy!

**unknown:** Lol, that must have sucked. I never shaved off my head when it happened to me. I just pulled out a patch of my hair and there was a blad spot o my head for a few weeks before it grew back. But that was when I was little, I'm still clumsy but I don't get it in my hair. Unfortuneately that leaves my face wide open as a target. Thanks for the review.

**xInfernal:** Thanks for the review. Hope you like this chapter and I'll add the plot in the next chapter, when or if I ever get around to writing it. Lol, I'm glad you like Arista. And how she got the gum off will be explained in the next chapter, hopefully. So cross your fingers.

**Dark-Cherry-Angel:** Hey. I know it takes my aegis to update but that's because I'm a bad updater. Meh, I eventually get around to it but it takes awhile. So I better get cracking at the next chapter or you guys will have to wait another million centuries.

**Beyblade-gal:** I'm happy you liked it. Hope you enjoy this chapter too. Thanks for reviewing.

**SlightlyIrrelavent:** Ola, I like your new name.Lol, and you think everyone going to just bow down and obey you?-snickers- I'm sorry, but you need to hypnotize the peoplefirst. Then you stand a chance or them obeying your every command.I'm ecstaic that you like my work andthat you like Arista.lol, yes sheis random and annoying, but adorable and funny.I had that too. It got stuck in my hair and I pulled a patch of myhair out and it was so weird because I ended up with a bald patch or hair. THis was when I was younger though. But it was damn hilarious.Hey, hey, hey, lets not diss Bryan after all he unknowingly sets Amber and Kai up on a date. I like Bryan-ish people. They're so damn annoying that you just can't imagine life without them. Lol,what's the nakey-dance?Here's the update. Glad you liked my work so much. Enjoy!


	14. Chapter 13: I Know You're Out There

**13 Shades of Grey**

**Chapter 13: I Know You're Out There**

* * *

_Yes, I know. This update was long overdue. I've been busy with revenge plots for people I dislike to the extreme. Oh, and I have a job as a cashier at No Frills so I have been busy. I get to weigh things and push buttons and scan and shit, and it's very much fun. -grins- Anyways, enough babbling, enjoy then tell me whatcha think, okay?_

_-Arcada/Parminder

* * *

_

Blue collared crystals, made purely of sugar, fell on Arista's tongue. She sucked happily at the sugar. Her saliva mixed with some of the powder and hardened into a slightly wet solid-like substance.

Scowling in annoyance, Arista squinted with her left eye, peering into the cylindrical straw. Only to realize too late, she shouldn't have when the semi-wet sugar poured out , splashing her face and hair in a wave of blue.

"Shiznit!" Arista cursed rather loudly.

She was alone in the dorm, and was glad for it as this way no one would see her sticky situation. Growling in annoyance she shook her hair, spilling crystals all around her on the carpeted floor.

A sigh escaped her mouth and she frowned. Her face was sticky and blue in spots. Great, this was just like the time she'd gotten gum over herself. She'd only gotten rid of it with help from Oliver. He'd put something in her hair and it had smelled rancid, but it cleaned the gum out of her hair. Arista was glad to have a friend who knew about hair. If it was up to her she'd rather just shave off all her hair. It would be less hassle to brush it in the mornings anyway, she mused.

The knob twisted, and the door opened. An agitated Amber came inside looking cranky, while mumbling idle threats under her breath. Arista quickly stuffed her stash of pixie sticks under her bed and pretended to fix her bed.

Amber stopped when she noticed the other teen cleaning.

"What are you doing?" Amber raised her brow, staring in the direction of her Russian friend.

"What does it look like?" Arista huffed, untangling herself from the mass of sheets.

"You playing tug-of-war with the sheets?"

"No." Arista exclaimed. She fell down, tripping on her comforter.

Amber snickered at the other females misfortune, then walked over to her and held out a hand. Maybe today wouldn't be so bad, she thought.

"So what are you really doing?" Amber asked again, sitting down on her bed, slinging her bag off her shoulders only for it to land in a heap on the bed.

"Breathing?" Arista replied nonchalantly.

The look on Amber's face was of mild annoyance and confusion mixed together. Her whiskey eyes closed, long lashes fanned out. She had a headache coming on, one thing she didn't want was to take meds. They just had the effect of making her feel off about everything.

"You know we have practice today, right?"

Amber eyes shot open. "We do?"

Arista nodded much to Amber' dismay.

"What's that on your face?"

"You mean my skin?" Arista quipped.

"No." Amber replied sarcastically. "I meant that purple shit on our face."

The Russian female's eyes widened quizzically. "Er, I don't know what you mean."

No matter how smooth the lie sounded, Amber didn't buy it. She walked over to her comrade and looked around at the panicking teen.

"Okay, where's the pixie sticks?"

"What pixie sticks?"

Playing dumb wasn't one of Arista's strong suits because she generally knew what was going on. Amber smirked and pushed stray bangs of hair out of her eyes, pausing only to stare up at the slightly taller female.

An array of colour sticks poking out from under Arista's pillow caught the ochre-eyed teens eye. She side-stepped around Arista and darted for the sugar, managing to successfully grab a handful of Arista's treasures. Without thinking, Arista tackled Amber onto her bed, trying desperately to wrestle the pixie sticks out of Amber's hands.

The two rolled off the bed, landing in a tangled heap on the floor. Panting for air, they both got up slowly, and stared at the other.

"That was fun." Amber muttered sarcastically, dusting off her clothes. Arista followed likewise, pushing her hair away from her face so she could see clearly.

"You can say that again."

"Okay, I will." Amber gave a small smirk. "That was fun. Now can I please have some?"

Having to think about it for only a split second, Arista nodded heartily.

Amber's lips curved into a feline smile as she proceeded to open a stick and let the sugar drop onto her tongue. She hadn't had any caffeine and she was tired as Hell. If there was one thing she needed in life, it was good cup of coffee. As sugar entered her system she felt immediately better, if only somewhat.

Arista looked around the room, trying to figure out where she'd last left her equipment. It wasn't under he bed, Hitoshi and Amber had helped her clean that out a few days ago. Was it in the closet? She doubted it. The girls' closet was a landslide waiting to fall on whoever who was dumb enough to open it. So where could it be?

Deciding to take action, Arista began her fated search for her hockey bag. Amber, who had remembered to put her bag somewhere where she'd remember it, walked over to the window, where sunlight streamed in through the glass, picked up her duffel bag from the spot she'd last left it; under the window ledge.

After much searching, Arista had found her stuff shoved in a corner covered with clothes and books. She made a mental note to put it under her bed where she'd remember it. With sugar in their systems, the two female's darted out the door, shutting it after them. They sped off towards the arena at a timely pace.

Brooklyn sprinted down the hallways, narrowly missing collisions into other students or teachers. He cursed the time and continued running, going to fast to slow down. Without watching where he was going he slammed into something solid, or rather two of his fellow team-mates.

The red-headed male fell backwards from the impact an landed on the floor.

Arista and Amber having been in the same predicament, were on the floor, nursing their brand new injuries. The contents of the duffel bags were strewed around on the hallway around them because they hadn't been closed properly in their haste.

Amber's jersey, knee pads, elbow pads, and other safety equipment was strewed around all over the floor. Her companions equipment was in the same position. Brooklyn's however, was still tucked away in his zipped-up bag. He was careful enough to run with a closed bag unlike the two females, who were oftentimes forgetful of such details.

A faint tingling in the Irish teens temples reminded her that she was on the verge of a headache. She scrunched her eyes together, knitting her eyebrows in annoyance and massaged her head in a carefree fashion.

"We won't disappear even if you try hard enough."

Amber looked up and met the blue eyes of Arista, who had hastily stuffed everything back into the padded bags, not caring if it was in the right bag or not. Coach was always telling them that if they got late again, he'd start making them write lines. Arista thought this was degrading and childish. She didn't want to write lines like she had to in grade two or something. She wanted to play hockey and standing around here wouldn't do her any good.

Extending a hand outwards to Amber, she helped her get to her feet and gave her her duffel bag. Brooklyn who was watching the scene with mild amusement was knocked back on a face-first dive to Reality, as the two girls tore off towards the arena, leaving him in their dust. A thin smile flirted with his lips, damned if he'd have to write lines.

Tala watched Ruin glide across the ice, literally flying as she accumulated speed, skating towards the net, handling the puck with her stick, not missing a beat. Turquoise eyes watched with avarice as the puck was sent sailing through the air with a 'whoosh' before settling in the back of the net, to lay motionless. Ruin, a small smirk on her face, made another goal against the invisible goalie seeing as Arista was missing in action. Feeling that she was being watched she looked around and squinted, sweat glittering on her pale face. She swivelled around and let her eyes rest on the red-head coming towards her.

"You know, your slap shot could be a lot better."

"Oh yeah?" Ruin read the challenge in his voice causing her smirk to grow.

"Yeah."

Before she'd even begun to register what Valkov was about to do, he'd stolen the puck from her and set a swift shot into the net, a small ping echoed in the arena because of the sheer speed. Ruin's eyes watched those of the Russian male in front of her.

A smile cracked on Tala's face as he locked his gaze with the chocolate brown one of Ruin. The tension was there, barely noticeable because the two were so comfortable with each other, having been best friends since childhood.

"Here, I'll show you how to master the technique."

Ruin nodded her head very slightly, Tala's grin widened and he moved closer to the female, wrapping his arms around her waist and guiding her hand higher onto her stick.

Ruin felt heat creep into the back of her neck and shook her head to soothe her fraying nerves. It was so unexpected how she could change from calm and collected to confused and disoriented from being held or touched by Tala. She loved that feeling. That she had someone for herself, someone who cared about her and wanted her just as much as she wanted him. Her heart fluttered dangerously close to her rib cage, as Tala moved their bodies in unison, guiding her to perfect her slap shot. Ruin's lips curved in a felinic smile, while small shudders ran up and down her spine.

Arista rushed to put on her jersey while trying to untangle her hair from the silver chain around her neck. Somehow, as expected, she had managed to get herself caught in her hair and equipment. Brooklyn and Amber hadn't suspected anything different from the ungraceful teen.

In fact the only time when Arista didn't entangle herself or drop one or six things, was when she was in net. Her mind would be calm and focused on one mission; to stop the opposing team from scoring. She wasn't easily distracted from her objective, so scoring on her was a few pegs down from impossible. It was the same with Amber, Brooklyn, or anyone of the team. They were focused and collected individually, they just some minor issues when it came down to teamwork.

They would argue all they could, and try to out do each other on the ice. But when it came to injuries, it was a whole different perspective. A low blow or a dirty tactic to one the of team would mean serious revenge. It didn't matter how much they argued off the ice, it was what happened on the ice.

Ian and Amber for example, bickered constantly, but they would stand up for each other in mutual respect, however much they had.

Brooklyn watched as Amber almost fell down while applying her elbow, and knee pads to their respective locations. He'd already changed, but felt that he'd rather be late with others than be a spectacle to Coach and the others.

"You've got it backwards." Brooklyn pointed out to the Russian female.

"Huh?"

While trying to untangle her silver hair, she'd ducked her head inside so she could see better. Brooklyn smirked as her head popped up through her jersey.

"Your jersey." He said monotonously.

Amber marvelled at Arista's situation, having successfully gotten her equipment on, currently tying the laces to her black and silver skates.

"He's right, you know."

Arista looked down at her torso and sure enough the numbers '03' were there along with _Belyaev_ stitched in black chunky letters.

Her lips curved into a frown. "And you only tell me now?"

Amber snickered at her comrade, then stood up, leaning against the wall.

Arista pulled up her jersey, unknowingly pulling up her t-shirt as well. Her black sports bra was visible to the naked eye, but she didn't notice or didn't care.

Amber snickered again, then unable to contain herself, fell down on one knee, eventually falling on her back.

Brooklyn smirked, his arms crossed over his chest in amazement at the Russian's folly. His gaze unintentionally raked over the smooth creamy skin that was taut while Arista struggled to get her jersey off in order to put it on the right way.

She stretched her arms high, exposing her lean frame. She groaned when her arms were stuck in mid-air with her head stuck in the jersey. Amber was no help to Arista's pleas as she was miserably failing to contain her mirth.

After a quick glance at his watch, Brooklyn noted that they had missed half of practice already, and not wanting to waste any more practice time, he walked over to Arista and pulled her sweater, along with her t-shirt, off.

Exposed, Arista could feel goose bumps rise on her skin as she felt the a/c cool the room.

"Thanks." She mumbled, then snatched her clothes from Brooklyn. She slipped on her t-shirt, a red blush creeping on her neck and serenading her cheeks. She slipped on her jersey the proper way, then brushed past the red-head to get her skates.

She did up the laces in a rush, having to retie them several times in her haste. Once they were securely fastened, she walked out in a huff, leaving an amused Amber and a curious Brooklyn behind.

Kai sat on the school rooftop, watching the world below, feeling alone. Disillusionment circulated around him, engulfing him. A sigh of confusion was the only sound that was heard from his pale lips, aside from the irregular flow of his breathing.

_Last time I talked to you_

_You were lonely and out of place_

_You were looking down on me_

_Lost out in space_

What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he just get over Amber? What was so different about her? Mahogany eyes stared off into the bright blue sky and the wisps of clouds as the world spun around, turmoil settling into the pit of Kai's heart. A gentle breeze ruffled Kai's hair, royal blue flicked across his eyelids.

_We laid underneath the stars_

_Strung out and feeling brave_

_I watched the red-orange glow_

_I watched you float away_

Knowing someone for practically your whole life left an indent in your own life, Kai had come to realise that long ago. What he hadn't counted on was falling for Amber. If you'd told him it were to happen, he'd have started crying from laughing so hard. Somehow over the years, the course of his feelings had changed courses, doing a 180 flip. He's struggled to deny it, to divert his attention away from the Irish female, but to no avail.

_Down here in the atmosphere_

_Garbage and city lights_

_You're gone to save you're tired soul_

_You've gone to save our lives_

Amber had undeniably grown on him. How had it come to this? Shaking his head, as if to release his head of all the thoughts swimming around, doing hi-jumps from the board, Kai ran his fingers through his hair.

_I turned on the radio_

_To find you on satellite_

_I'm waiting for the sky to fall_

_I'm waiting for a sign_

Leaves fluttered around the empty yard below, trees blowing along to the soft howling of the wind. Snow glistened with sparkles, the occasional chirping of birds was audible. Kai paid no attention to the world around him, all that mattered Amber. He was assured that she had climbed into his head and made herself comfortable, nestling in there for all to see. What was so repulsing about him?

_You're falling back to me_

_You're a star that I can see_

_I know you're out there_

_Somewhere out there_

His mind groggy, he leaned back against the cold bricks, closed his eyes, falling into an uneasy slumber.

_Defying gravity_

_I know you're out there_

_Somewhere out there_

He basically loved Amber, so why didn't she reciprocate his feelings?

Bryan understood how Kai felt the way he did about Amber. She was likeable, and he felt the constant need to protect her, though she would say she was capable on her own. One time when they were younger, Bryan had left Amber alone in the kitchen alone for just a second and she'd burnt her arm out of forgetfulness. Since then he'd been wherever she was, save for the washroom.

He loved Amber in the sense that she was special to him because of a mutual bond they had. They were the best of friends, having their share of memories that revolved around the two of them. He walked around on the snow-covered terrain in the school courtyard.

It was unusually warm out today so he was wearing his team blazer. His lilac hair blew gently with the refreshing breeze. His cheeks, normally pale, were the shade of fresh-picked strawberries as snow fell from the Heavens to land on the ground. After practise he usually liked to take a walk to cool off and regain himself.

What he was worried about was Kai hurting Amber. But now that he thought the situation over, he considered that Amber may unintentionally hurt Kai himself. This thought scared him because he knew that Amber would never purposefully hurt someone, no matter what her feelings were about them.

He had wanted a word with the two-toned bluenette to tell him to keep away from his cousin, but when he'd seen what a wreck Kai had been, he didn't have the heart to add insult to injury.

The situation was complicated because of the history the two shared. Amber and Kai had basically known each other since they were in diapers. Amber would usually blame Kai for pretty much any of her misfortunes. Kai would tease her relentlessly. It was when they were growing up that the two had discovered their sharp tongues, often squabbling at something or other.

Not knowing what would happen when the two next confronted each other, he turned his gaze towards the sky. Much to his surprise he saw Amber sitting watching Kai on the rooftop.

Without thinking he called out to his favourite person.

"Amber?" It was more a question than a greeting.

"Huh?" Amber spun her head around to scan the landscape, searching for whoever had called her.

Bryan's lips curved the slightest bit. "Over here."

Ochre eyes followed the voice and met the icy blue of Bryan.

"Hi." She greeted him with a small smile.

Amber frowned internally, she didn't want Kai to wake up and see her there. Couldn't Bryan see that Kai was sleeping? She moved closer to the side of the school roof to get a better view of Bryan.

"Why are you up there?"

The Irish teen didn't know how to respond to his question. Just exactly _why_ was she up here? She didn't even know herself. Okay, well maybe a little bit. She wanted to give Kai a letter that she'd written via Miyami's suggestion.

Mimi had given her the idea to write what she felt or wanted to tell Kai. Amber remembered that trying to explain something she didn't understand had always been awkward for her. Thus, Miyami had helped her to write the letter to Kai. She was grateful that she had at least one friend who knew something about something.

She crossed her legs underneath after sneaking a quick glance at Kai to check he was sleeping. She was a bit nervous to give the letter to him. She'd even put it in an envelope too. Why though, she didn't quite know.

Bryan's brow furrowed, he moved closer so he wouldn't have to raise his voice so much. "You didn't answer my question."

"Yeah, while I wanted to see the snow from above."

Amber's lips fretted into a grin. She stuffed the white envelope into her pants pocket, clasped her hands together, habitually wringing them together.

"Benson?"

Amber's head spun around so fast that her hair whipped her cheek in a non-too-pleasant manner. Tawny eyes stared into twin pools of crimson, an awkward silence was the only proposal of emotion that could be felt.

* * *

**Cokey:** Dude! Okay, so Brooklyn will kiss Arista in Don't Say A Word, kay? That way you can get inspiration, although I'm pretty sure you usually give. I'm watching Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory sometime soon. I rented Saw and I watched it over and over and over again. It is the best movie ever. It's just brilliant. Anyways, HPHBP comes out in a few days, with GoF the moviecoming out in november. I am totally stoked. I miss you loads. Hope you're welll and stuff. 

**Beyblade-gal**:Gladyou likedit. This one time when I was at my friends place, I wasin her balcony and she lived on the 12th floor, and I was blowing bubbles and mygum fell out of my mouth and landed on a tree. Aww, how can you not like Bryan? Hum, well I'll have a scene with him being wonderfully himself. Lol, hope you enjoyed this chapter too.

**Alex:** Hey-dee-ho to you too! I haven't talked to you since ages. Mostly cause I don't like MSN and you're never on if I ever decide to go on when I'm bored enough. I wonder how long that'll last, the not getting drunk part. Dude if penguins are taking over the world, I'd be so happy. Penguins are my favourite animal. Preps suck. Amen. LOL. You're a worst updater than I am. I'll take up your offer, if it happens anyways.

**eMiLy06:** Hi, glad you liked the last chapter. Happy reading.

**SewMyHeartUp**: Hello, glad youlike itlots. Hope you enjoy this chapter too.

**xInfernal:** Yay! You liked it. Feedback is nice, I appreciate it.

**flurobandaid:**Glad you thinks so, I like writing about the characters. Theyjust become so real, I love them all to pieces.I'm promising! -happy dance- Is that fic still up? Cause I think it sounds really cool. I'd love to check it out sometime.Hey, no biggie. Great minds think alike, remember? Lol, I thought of that all by myself. -grins- Happy reading.

**Grey Messiah:** Thanks for the review, happy reading.

**Me:** I'm glad you think so. I have so many ideas it's hard to choose what to write about. Flamers are funny. They make my day. Aww, that's really sweet of you. No way, cliché's are way overrated. -grins-

**Koyoru:** I have a fan, I have a fan, lol. If it makes you squeal it must be decent. Hehe. Happy reading, ne?

**And last but not least...**

**YouSuck:** Although you are free to have you opinion, I think it's rather hilarious what you've stated. First of all, please have the decency to use your actual name or something. Well, I have to assume you're bald then because I use spellcheck, and there are only about two or three mistakes. Besides, no one's perfect, but I guess you already know that. When you talk about they, do you include yourself? It's a shame if you do because you have many faults from what I can read. Another thing, if you 'hate' me writing so much, why on earth did you _choose_ to read it then? You have no self-control. Hurling insults with no real motive? Pathetic. If I rot in hell, you'll surly be there rotting with me, hmmn? You're extremely close-minded, in my opinion. Judging you would be stupid, because I don't know you and stereotypes suck. I hope you can express you dislikes in more detail to me sometime. Think about it at least, won't you? If and when I die, I will come back from the dead so I can haunt you, and torture you some more by reading you my writing. Have a nice day, now.


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